Navratna Status to IREDA and HUDCO

• The Department of Public Enterprises of the Indian Government has granted 'Navratna Status' to Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) and Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) . 
• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) oversees HUDCO.
• Under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, IREDA is a non-banking financial organization that works to create, promote, and provide funding for the establishment of projects involving new and renewable energy sources.
• A corporation must first receive the Miniratna category-I designation and be included on Schedule A of the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) in order to be eligible for Navratna status. 

IIP Celebrated 65th Foundation Day

• The Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), a part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Dehradun, celebrated its 65th Foundation Day on April 27, 2024, on campus.
• Founded on April 14, 1960, it is a premier research and development institution. There was a focus on the carbon-free and cleaner technologies that will power the planet in the near future.
• The CSIR-IIP Director gave a presentation on the institute's 2024–30 roadmaps for achieving Viksit Bharat.A number of the institute's accomplishments over the past 64 years were highlighted by Dr. Harender Singh Bisht, Director of CSIR-IIP.
•  These included the Numaligarh Wax Plant, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, US Grade Gasoline, Medical Oxygen Units, Sweeting Catalyst, PNG Burner, Improved Gur Bhatti, and more.

India’s First Transshipment Hub in Kerala

• The government on April 27, 2024 given the Adani Group's Vizhinjam Port in Kerala permission to function as the country's first transshipment port.
•  This designation helps India achieve its objective of becoming a manufacturing hub by facilitating the transfer of cargo from large to smaller vessels.
• The transshipment project called Vizhinjam was started in 2015 by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), and it was planned Completion by 2019.
•  It is currently scheduled to launch operations within the current fiscal year, though.
• The port wants to take a sizable chunk of the transshipment business in India, which is presently controlled by foreign ports like Colombo, Sri Lanka. With its sophisticated technology and infrastructure, Vizhinjam Port can handle Megamax containerships, the biggest ships in the world.

Tamil Nadu Conducted Nilgiri Tahr Survey with IUCN

• The Nilgiri Tahr, or Nilgiritragus hylocrius, is the state animal of Tamil Nadu. The administration of the state is conducting a 3-day synchronized survey of this mammal from April 27, 2024.
• Estimating the population of the endangered species, which formerly roamed the Anamalai and Nilgiris terrain, is the goal of the survey.
•  The exercise will be observed by a representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• The IUCN, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) are working together to perform the survey.
• With a focus on regions along the Kerala border, the habitats of Tamil Nadu have been split into 140 viable blocks, 100 forest beats, and 13 forest divisions.
• A mountain ungulate native to India's Western Ghats is the Nilgiri Tahr.

AEO Status given to Gem and Jewelry Sector

• The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) reaches a significant milestone on April 27, 2024, when the Indian government granted the gem and jewellery sector Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status.
• In an effort to improve ease of doing business, this designation, which was previously denied, is now granted and allows for more efficient export-import procedures, faster cargo release timeframes, and 50% reduced bank guarantees.
• The GJEPC runs an educational outreach program with the goal of becoming an AEO. The event, which  was held on March 18, 2024, was actively participating by stakeholders interested in promoting global competitiveness, strengthening supply chain security, and facilitating international trade.

World’s First Personalized mRNA Vaccine for Melanoma Undergoing Trials

• Phase III clinical trials for a novel tailored mRNA vaccine against melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, are underway in the UK on April 27, 2024.
•  The vaccine was created by Moderna, and Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) with the goal of assisting a patient's immune system in identifying and getting rid of any malignant cells that may still be present following surgical tumor excision.
•  The vaccine, known as mRNA-4157 (V940), was developed to correspond with the distinct genetic profile of every patient's tumor.
• It gives the body instructions to make proteins or antibodies that target certain markers (antigens) only present in the patient's cancer cells.
•  The immunotherapy medication pembrolizumab (Keytruda), which boosts the immune system's capacity to eradicate cancer cells, is given in addition to the vaccine.

Gay Intercourse is Considered a Crime in Iraq

• The Iraqi parliament on April 27, 2024 enacted a law outlawing same-sex relationships.
•  The law forbids same-sex relationships and imposes a minimum sentence of 7 years in prison on anyone who encourages homosexuality or prostitution.
•  Additionally, it imposes a sentence of 1 - 3 years in prison on anyone who dresses in an effeminate manner or changes their biological gender.
• The majority coalition in the parliament of predominantly Muslim Iraq is made up of conservative Shi'ite Muslim parties, who primarily supported the law.
• The officials said that the action was taken to preserve Islamic principles and shield Iraqi society from moral decay.
• Over the past year, major Iraqi parties have become more vocal in their rejection of LGBT rights; in protests, both have been known to burn rainbow flags.

Forecast of India’s FY25 GDP Growth at 7.15% by NIPFP

• The National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) on April 27, 2024 forecasted 7.1% GDP growth for India for the fiscal year 2024–25.
• NIPFP highlights the government's efforts at fiscal consolidation by using high-frequency models to highlight tax buoyancy and revenue expenditure compression.
• NIPFP projects a growth rate of 7.1%, whereas other organizations—like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Fitch Ratings—project a growth rate of 7%.
• Various viewpoints on India's economic trajectory are seen in the projections of S&P Global Ratings, Morgan Stanley, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which all estimate a slightly lower growth rate of 6.8% for FY25.
•  States see strong growth in capital expenditures (capex) in the fiscal year 2023–24, which is a result of significant transfers from the federal government.
• This demonstrates the efficient use of resources at thestate level, contributing to economic expansion.

Shenzhou-18 Crew Launched to Tiangong Space Station

• China launched the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft, carrying a 3-person crew, into orbit above the Tiangong space station on April 27, 2024.
•  Aiming to land humans on the moon by 2030, China's space program includes this mission.
• The Shenzhou-18 crew's 6-month mission in the Tiangong space station will involve the following activities:

1. conducting scientific tests
2.  installing devices to guard space debris,
3.  Conduct experiments with payloads,
4.  Make science education more widely known.

• The Shenzhou-17 team, which has been stationed in the space station since October 2023, will be replaced by the new crew.

Nethra Kumanan

• Nethra Kumanan of India won the Paris Olympics quota in sailing at the Last Chance Regatta in Hyeres, (France) on April 27, 2024.
• Nethra Kumanan placed 6th overall after winning 67 net points in the women's dinghy competition, ILCA 6. Still, as the best performer among sailors from the Emerging Nations Program (ENP), she earned the Olympic quota.
• A project called the ENP aims to provide sailors from less well-known sailing nations with the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
• The second Indian sailor to be awarded a ticket to the next Olympics in Paris is Nethra Kumaran.
• Vishnu Saravanan won India's first sailing quota at the ILCA 7 Men's World Championship 2024 in Australia earlier in January of this year.

Sunita Williams

• Veteran Indian American astronaut Sunita Williams is getting ready for her third space mission on the International Space Station (ISS) on April 27, 2024.
• On May 6, 2024, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is planned to fly on its first crewed flight, also known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission, which she will be piloting.
• Boeing's Starliner spacecraft made its first crewed flight as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
• She served as flight engineer on her STS-116 crew launch, setting a record for the longest female spacewalk at 29 hours and 17 minutes.
•  She spent 4 months studying the International Space Station, and set a record for the longest spacewalk ever—50 hours and 40 minutes.
• Recipient of the Legion of Merit, Navy Commendation Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal thrice, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and Humanitarian Service Medal, among others Inducted into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2022.

Sudhir Kakar

• The well-known author, cultural critic, and “Father of Indian Psychology,” Sudhir Kakar, died on April 26, 2024, at the age of 85.
• Sudhir Kakar's life and contributions helped to close the divide between Eastern and Western ideas, profoundly influencing Indian psychoanalysis.
•  Inquiring into conventional Western psychoanalytic methods, his ground-breaking study "The Inner World: A Psychoanalytic Study of Childhood and Society in India" offered novel insights into the Indian psyche.
•  His literary works explored the intricacies of Indian society and the human condition, including "The Seeker" and "A Book of Memory."
• Due to the widespread recognition of Sudhir Kakar's work, he was bestowed with a plethora of honors and prizes, such as the American Anthropological Association's Boyer Award, the Cardiner Award, and the Goethe Medal, and the Order of Merit (Germany's highest Federal Award).

Cambridge Dedicated Teachers Award 2024

• Gina Justus was announced as the 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards' regional winner for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) on April 27, 2024.
•  Born in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) Gina Justus has worked in the UAE since 2005. Her exceptional mentoring skills and commitment to charitable work have earned her recognition.
• In this year's competition; over 14840 nominations from 141 countries were received, setting a new record.
• A global competition known as the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards recognizes outstanding primary and secondary school educators.
•  It is possible for friends, parents, and students to suggest instructors who have had a noteworthy influence on their academic career.
• The competition, now in its sixth year, highlights the critical role educator’s play in shaping students' lives and preparing them for the global stage.