• China launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station on April 25 as part of its ambitious program that aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030.
• The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket.
• The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft is also known as the “Divine vessel”
• The trio is made of Commander Ye Guangfu, 43, a veteran astronaut who took part in the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021, and fighter pilots Li Cong, 34, and Li Guangsu, 36, who are spaceflight rookies.

• India clinched seven golds, 11 silvers and 11 bronze medals to finish second at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2024 held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates from April 24 to 27.
• The People’s Republic of China topped the Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2024 medal tally with 16 golds, 10 silvers and 3 bronze.
• The Asian U20 Athletics Championships was also a qualifying event for the World U20 Athletics Championships which will be held in Lima, Peru from August 27 to 31.

• Forest and tribal rights activist Alok Shukla will receive the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize – 2024 for successfully leading a community campaign that saved 4,45,000 (4.45 lakh) acres of biodiversity-rich forests from 21 planned coal mines in Chhattisgarh.
• Also known as the Green Nobel, the prize recognises grassroots environmental heroes from roughly the world’s six inhabited continental regions — Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands & Island Nations, North America, and South & Central America.
• A statement from the Goldman Environmental Foundation mentioned that the government cancelled the auction of 21 proposed coal mines in Hasdeo Aranya, whose pristine forests — popularly known as the lungs of Chhattisgarh — are one of the largest intact forest areas in India.
• Spread across 657 square miles, the dense and biodiverse Hasdeo Aranya forests form one of India’s most extensive contiguous forest tracts. They are also home to 25 endangered species, 92 bird species, and 167 rare and medicinal plant species.
• Nearly 15,000 tribals depend on the Hasdeo Aranya forests for their livelihood, cultural identity and sustenance.
• Meanwhile, the region contains one of India’s largest coal reserves — an estimated five billion tons of coal sit under the Hasdeo forests.

LIST OF WINNERS:

ABOUT GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

• The Goldman Environmental Prize was founded by American couple Richard and Rhoda Goldman in 1989.
• The prize aims to honour grassroots environmental leaders, draw the international community’s attention to environmental problems, and encourage action.

• Noted Hindi film superstars Hema Malini and Saira Banu, along with other prominent personalities from the fields of art and culture, will be honoured with the prestigious Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Award.
• The award ceremony will take place on 31 August 2024 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

LIST OF WINNERS:

• The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims to have produced a new kamikaze drone similar in structure to Russia’s Lancet drone.
• The Iranian drone resembles the Russian-made ZALA Lancet drone.
• The IRGC’s new drones, similar to Lancets, can fly for 30 to 60 minutes and carry a payload of 3 to 6 kg over a distance of up to 40 km.
• The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has made significant investments in ammunition development.
• Iran is a manufacturer of Shahed-131/136 kamikaze drones, which Russian troops use in the war against Ukraine.

• The Centre of Excellence, Government Post Graduate College, Sanjauli has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences.
• The Principal Dr Bharti Bhagra and her team visited the university to explore avenues for collaboration between the institutions and the MoU was signed, paving way for enhanced opportunities for students of both institutions.

• Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Group of Seven (G7) Outreach session to be held in Borgo Egnazia, Apulia, Italy, from 13 to 15 June 2024. The 2024 G7 presidency is with Italy.
• Italy observes 25 April as Liberation Day to celebrate the liberation of the country from the Nazi occupation and the end of fascist rule.

G7 OUTREACH SESSION

• The first Indian prime minister to get an invitation to participate in the G7 Outreach session was Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003. France was, at the time, the host of the G7.
• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has attended five such meetings. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attended the G7 outreach session in 2019,2021,2022,2023 (four times). The 2020 G7 summit to be hosted by the US was cancelled due to the Covid.

ABOUT G7

• It is an intergovernmental organisation that was formed in 1975 by the top economies of the time as an informal forum to discuss pressing world issues.
• Canada joined the group in 1976, and the European Union began attending in 1977.
• The G-7 was known as the ‘G-8’ for several years after the original seven were joined by Russia in 1997. The Group returned to being called G-7 after Russia was expelled as a member in 2014 following the latter’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.
• The members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

• The sixth edition of Bima Manthan, a periodic meeting of industry and IRDAI, unfolded over two days on April 25th and 26th, 2024, at IRDAI Headquarters, Hyderabad.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Bima manthan was attended by Debasish Panda, the chairman of IRDAI, and other members of the regulatory body.
• It was also attended by the chief executive officers (CEOs) of general Insurance, life insurance, and standalone health insurance companies.
• The Bima Manthan focused on the issues confronting the industry, especially on the recent steps taken by IRDAI for insurance sector reform.
• It also discussed IRDAI ‘s insurance trinity—Bima Sugam, Bima Vistaar, and Bima Vahak—which has been designed to make insurance accessible to all and increase insurance penetration in the country.
• 2024 also marks the silver jubilee year of the IRDAI.
• The IRDAI has set a target of achieving insurance for all by 2047 while promoting ease of doing business and the welfare of policyholders.

• Invest India has forecasted a bright future for India’s e-commerce industry, predicting a massive surge to $325 billion by 2030. This growth coincides with a digital economy expected to reach a staggering $800 billion in the same timeframe.
• According to Invest India, India has the world’s second-largest internet user base, with a whopping 881 million users. India is in a good position to become the third-largest online retail market by 2030.
• The report suggests that this will happen due to the growth of the internet user base and the flourishing digital economy. According to the report, India is expected to have around 500 million online shoppers by 2030.
• This growth is attributed to various factors:
  • Increased Internet Accessibility: Invest India underscores the escalating internet penetration, forecasting that 87% of Indian households will have internet access by 2025. Notably, mobile internet usage witnesses a significant surge, with extended access duration.
  • Expanding Online Shopper Base: The report predicts a rise in the number of online shoppers, with robust growth rates expected in both rural and urban areas.
  • Affordable Data Plans: India’s highly affordable data packages play a pivotal role in driving e-commerce adoption, facilitating broader online access.

• Velavan Senthilkumar secured his eighth Professional Squash Association Tour title by winning the Batch Open Challenger event.
• This was the eighth PSA (Professional Squash Association) title for the US-based Indian Velavan Senthilkumar.
• The Batch Open was organised by the world squash governing body Professional Squash Association with the host French Squash Federation at Jeu de Paume, Paris, France, from 24-28 April 2024.