• The President Droupadi Murmu has appointed professor Naima Khatoon as the first woman vice-chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
• Prof Khatoon has been appointed for five years from the date on which she enters his office or the date on which she completes seventy years of age, whichever is earlier.

ABOUT AMU

• The founding chancellor of the university was Sultan Jahan, the Begum of Bhopal, and at least three alumnae of AMU went on to helm prestigious universities, it took more than 100 years for the university court to propose the name of a deserving woman from a modest family from Jaipur district in Odisha.
• The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is a major university in the town of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• It was originally founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in 1875, as the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College (better known as MAO College). It became a full university in 1920.

• Bhutan is hosting the Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference on Earth Day 2024 to mobilize $1 billion in new funding over the next decade for the preservation of tiger landscapes across Asia.
• The two-day conference will be hosted by Bhutan under the patronage of the country’s queen, Jet sun Pema Wang chuck.
• It seeks to mobilise the aforementioned amount in new funding over 10 years for the preservation of tiger landscapes, which are vital to maintaining biodiversity, sequestering carbon, supplying resources to over 100 million people, and ensuring the overall health of the planet.
• Co-organized by the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Tiger Conservation Coalition.
• The conference will include expert panels leading insightful discussions on sustainable finance, linkages with the United Nations’ Global Biodiversity Framework, and the role of public-private partnerships in safeguarding tiger landscapes.

ABOUT TIGER CONSERVATION COALITION

• It was formed ahead of the 2022 Year of the Tiger.
• It comprises a diverse group of tiger conservation organisations and multilateral agencies that support tiger range countries in realising their long-term tiger conservation ambitions and delivering impact for nature and people from the local to the global levels.

ROLE OF TIGERS IN BIODIVERSITY

• The tiger is the largest felid in the world. An apex predator, it plays a significant role in the structure and function of the ecosystems on which humans and wildlife rely.
• Tigers are a “landscape” species, needing large areas with diverse habitats, free from human disturbance and rich in prey.
• According to Tiger Conservation Coalition Chair and Lead of WWF Tigers Alive, Stuart Chapman, Landscapes with wild tigers are healthy and vibrant ecosystems which are critically important in a climate changing world. Securing these tiger landscapes through sustainable financing will bring multiple benefits to the people and wildlife across Asia.

GLOBAL TIGERS STATUS

• Data suggested a potential 40 per cent increase in tiger numbers, from 3,200 in 2015 to 4,500 in 2022, despite extreme threats. This represented the first potential climb in the species’ numbers in decades.

TIGERS STATUS IN INDIA

• Tiger population rose to 3,167 in 2022, up from 2,967 in 2018.
• India hosts around 75% of the global tiger population.
• Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers.

• Israel’s government has launched a new fund called Yozma 2.0 to encourage institutional investors to boost investments in high-tech companies.
• The tech sector is a key driver of Israel’s economy, accounting for close to 20% of output, 12% of jobs, more than 50% of exports and 25% of tax income.
• The Yozma 2.0 fund is a significant initiative by the government of Israel to boost institutional investment in the country’s tech sector. By providing returns, the fund aims to create a more diverse funding environment for Israel’s startups.

• Papua New Guinea (PNG) has appointed Colonel Edison Napyo as its first defence adviser to India.
• Col Napyo is the first to be deployed as a defence advisor to India and will serve as a link between the PNG Government and Military in the country.
• India and Papua New Guinea formalised diplomatic relations in 1976, and enjoy warm and friendly relations.
• The two countries have been working closely in international forums, including the Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations Organisation. This appointment will boost the present minimal military exchanges and relations.
• During the third summit of the Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) PM spoke in favour of free and open Indo-Pacific region and focused on India’s commitment to assist the development goals of the member countries of FIPIC.

ABOUT FIPIC

• The FIPIC consists of Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Palau, PNG, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

• India’s Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest-ever winner of Candidates.
• 17-year-old Gukesh will face Ding Liren in the match for World Championship title in 2024.
• Gukesh drew against Hikaru Nakamura of USA in the final round in Toronto.
• D Gukesh drew his final-round match in black pieces against Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura of the USA.
• He won a silver medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.

• OpenAI has hired Pragya Misra, its first official in India, in order to handle government relations.
• OpenAI is a U.S.-based artificial intelligence (AI) research organization founded in December 2015, researching artificial intelligence with the goal of developing “safe and beneficial” artificial general intelligence.

• The state government of Uttar Pradesh has unveiled its first-ever glass skywalk bridge, located at the enchanting Tulsi (Shabari) Waterfall in Chitrakoot.
• The awe-inspiring bridge, fashioned to resemble Lord Rama’s bow and arrow, was constructed in the Kodand forest area at a cost of Rs 3.70 crore.

Key Highlights:

• The Forest and Tourism Department, along with the Pawan Sut Construction Company of Ghazipur, led the construction of the Glass Skywalk Bridge. Last year, the state government renamed it Tulsi Water Falls.
• The site’s significance as the birthplace of Goswami Tulsidas in Rajapur and the presence of Lord Shri Ram’s shrine make it a popular tourist destination.
• The bridge’s design is nothing short of magnificent, with the arrow’s length towards the abyss measuring 25 meters and the width of the bow between the two pillars spanning 35 meters. The bridge is engineered to withstand a load capacity of 500 kg per square meter, ensuring visitors’ safety and security.

• French carmaker Citroen has engaged cricketing legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador in India, according to people aware of the development, as the Stellantis Group company seeks to improve brand awareness and find a firm footing in a market where it’s a relatively new entrant.

• World Book and Copyright Day, also known as World Book Day, is celebrated every year on 23rd April in over 100 countries around the globe to honour the great works by authors around the world.
• The theme for World Book and Copyright Day 2024 is “Read Your Way.”
• World Book and Copyright Day was first celebrated on 23 April in 1995. UNESCO chose this day on 23rd April specifically to honour literary figures like William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes.

• InterGlobe Enterprises, which owns India’s largest airline IndiGo, will launch an all-electric air taxi service in India from Delhi’s Connaught Place to Haryana’s Gurugram by 2026.
• In November 2023, InterGlobe Enterprises entered into a deal with Archer Aviation to supply 200 eVTOL aircraft
• The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft can carry the pilot in addition to four passengers.