1. Lokesh M appointed as new CEO of Noida Authority
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Lokesh M, a 2005-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the new CEO of the Noida Authority, replacing Ritu Maheshwari, who is now the Divisional Commissioner, Agra.
An Overview of the News
Key priorities of CEO Lokesh M: Focusing on industrial development and setting up a better public hearing system.
Scheme to address the issues of allottees, farmers and citizen grievances.
They aim to make Noida a "City Beautiful" and improve the living conditions for the residents.
Emphasis was laid on efficient delivery of services to the citizens.
Background of Lokesh M:
He is originally from Karnataka.
He completed his training in the year 2006 at Aligarh.
From 2009 to 2016, he served as District Magistrate and Collector in various districts including Mainpuri, Kushinagar, Etah, Ghazipur, Amroha and Kaushambi.
After his deputation to Karnataka, he served there from 2016 to 2021.
Later he became the Divisional Commissioner of Saharanpur.
On 31 May he was appointed Agra Commissioner.
Prior to joining as the CEO of Noida Authority, he served as the Kanpur Commissioner.
2. Julius Robert Oppenheimer: Father of the Atomic Bomb
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Christopher Nolan's film "Oppenheimer", now showing in cinemas globally, is based on the life of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, widely known as the "father of the atomic bomb".
An Overview of the News
Early Life and Education:
Julius Robert Oppenheimer was born in New York in 1904 and displayed exceptional academic talent from an early age.
He attended New York's Ethical Culture School and excelled in various subjects including physics and languages.
Oppenheimer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Harvard University in 1925.
He did his PhD in Physics from the University of Göttingen in Germany.
Scientific Career:
Returning to the United States, Oppenheimer became a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley.
During the 1930s, he made important contributions to theoretical physics, focusing on quantum mechanics and spectroscopy.
Manhattan Project:
In 1942, with World War II looming, he was appointed as the scientific chief of the top-secret Manhattan Project, which was tasked with developing the first nuclear weapon.
Leading a team of talented scientists and engineers, Oppenheimer played a key role in the successful creation of the first atomic bomb.
Trinity test and results:
In July 1945, the world's first atomic bomb was detonated in New Mexico, marking the culmination of the Manhattan Project.
The successful test signalled the beginning of the nuclear age.
Post-War Conflicts:
After World War II, Oppenheimer faced difficulties when his security clearance was revoked due to suspicions of his past association with left-wing organisations and alleged ties to communist sympathisers.
This led to the end of his direct involvement in government science initiatives in 1954.
Later Years:
In the latter part of his life, Oppenheimer focused on teaching and research.
He returned to academia and lectured at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton.
Despite facing criticism, he continued to make important contributions to theoretical physics and guide a new generation of scientists.
Death:
Robert Oppenheimer died in 1967, leaving behind a complex and enduring legacy that continues to be the subject of study and debate.
3. Adrian Mardell appointed as CEO of Jaguar Land Rover
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Adrian Mardell has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) for a period of three years. The appointment was made by Tata Motors, which owns JLR.
An Overview of the News
Prior to becoming CEO, Mardell served as interim CEO through November 16, 2022.
With the appointment of Adrian Mardell as CEO, Richard Molyneux was announced as the new Chief Financial Officer of JLR.
Richard Molyneux was previously the Acting Chief Financial Officer from December 12, 2022. Prior to this, he held the position of Finance Director of Operations at Jaguar Land Rover for six years.
Adrian Mardell's journey with Jaguar Land Rover began in 1990, and he held various financial positions within the company until 2008.
About Tata Motors Limited
It is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturing company.
It operates as a part of the Tata Group conglomerate.
Tata Motors produces a wide range of vehicles including passenger cars, trucks, vans, coaches and buses.
Establishment - 1945
Founder - Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata
Headquarters - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairman - Natarajan Chandrasekaran
4. Hacker Kevin Mitnick passed away at the age of 59
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Renowned hacker Kevin Mitnick in the history of cyber security has died at the age of 59 after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year.
An Overview of the News
Mitnick gained notoriety for his hacking exploits, which inspired several films, including "WarGames". Some claimed that as a teenager he had successfully hacked the North American Aerospace Defense Command's computer systems, but Mitnick denied the allegation.
In 1988, Mitnick was arrested for stealing $1 million in proprietary software from Digital Equipment Corporation.
He received a one-year prison sentence and three years' probation, but a new arrest warrant was issued in 1995 for violating probation.
After his release in 2000, Mitnick became a white-hat hacker, and legally used his expertise to help businesses protect their systems.
He became the chief hacking officer and partial owner of the tech security firm KnowBe4, which was founded by his close friend and business partner, Stu Sjouverman.
In 2011, Mitnick published a memoir detailing his hacking career titled "Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker".
5. Anshuman Jhingran: Youngest person to cross the North Channel
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Anshuman Jhingran, an 18-year-old open water swimmer from Navi Mumbai, achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest person to cross the North Channel.
An Overview of the News
The North Channel is a challenging strait located between the northeast coast of Northern Ireland and the southwest coast of Scotland, which serves as the end of the Irish Sea and flows northwest into the Atlantic Ocean.
Anshuman accomplished this incredible feat in just 125 days, earning him a place in the prestigious Guinness World Records.
His successful crossing was the 114th of its kind since 1947, showing the difficulty of swimming the North Channel.
First Indian to swim across the English Channel: Mihir Sen
Mihir Sen has the distinction of being the first Indian to successfully swim across the English Channel, completing the challenging Dover to Calais route.
He achieved this impressive feat in a remarkable time of 14 hours and 45 minutes, earning him the fourth best time for this gruelling endeavour.
Additionally, Mihir Sen holds the unique and extraordinary record of being the only person to swim across the oceans of all five continents within a single year, which shows his unparalleled dedication to open water swimming.
First Indian to cross the North Channel: Elvis Ali Hazarika
Prior to Anshuman Jhingran's achievement, Elvis Ali Hazarika was the first Indian to successfully cross the North Channel, adding to India's legacy in the world of open water swimming.
Origin of the Ocean Seven Challenge
The Ocean Seven Challenge was devised in 2008 and has since become one of the ultimate tests for open water swimmers looking to push their physical and mental limits.
List of Ocean Seven Swims
North Channel
Cook Strait
Kaiwi Channel
English Channel
Catalina Channel
Tsugaru Strait
Strait of Gibraltar
6. Rakesh Pal became the 25th Director General of the ICG
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Rakesh Pal has been appointed as the 25th Director General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). He has the distinction of being the first gunner of ICG.
An Overview of the news:
- Shri Pal is an alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy and had joined the Indian Coast Guard in January 1989.
- Mr. Pal has done Electro-Optics Fire Control Solution courses from the United Kingdom.
- Rakesh Pal has served the nation in various capacities in his illustrious career spanning over 34 years. Prominent among them are the post of Commander Coast Guard Region (North West), Gandhinagar, Deputy Director General (Policy and Plans), and Additional Director General, Coast Guard at Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi.
- Shri Pal was awarded the Tatrakshak Medal in 2013 and President Tatrakshak Medal in 2018 for his distinguished service.
7. Nivriti Rai appointed as Managing Director and CEO of Invest India
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Renowned global business and technology expert Nivriti Rai has been appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of Invest India.
An Overview of the news:
- Ms Rai takes over from Manmeet K Nanda, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), who assumed the additional charge of MD & CEO in the interim in March 2023.
Career of Nivriti Rai:
- Ms. Rai joins Invest India after an illustrious 29 years of service as a global business and technology veteran at Intel.
- She was leading Intel India as Country Head for the last 07 years and spearheaded Intel's growth and investments in the country.
Promotion of indigenous technology:
- During his tenure at Intel India, he made significant contributions in the areas of indigenous technology development, start-up ecosystem, electronics manufacturing ecosystem and policy making, especially in the areas of critical and emerging technologies.
Awards and Honors:
- Ms. Rai was also conferred with the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar for her outstanding contribution in the field of technology.
Invest India:
- India's National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency.
- Established: 2009 (Carried out as a non-profit enterprise under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry).
- Invest India focuses on sector-specific investor targeting and developing new partnerships to enable sustainable investment in India.
- It leverages private sector experts to meet the government's vision, which includes high standards of transparency, ethics and corporate governance.
- Chairman of the Board of Invest India Secretary of DPIIT: Rajesh Kumar Singh.
8. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy Creates Guinness World Record With Fastest Badminton Hit
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Indian badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy created a new Guinness World Record for the fastest hit in badminton during the Korea Open 2023.
An Overview of the News
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy's smash reached an incredible speed of 565 km/h, breaking a decade-old record previously held by Malaysian player Tan Boon Heong, who clocked 493 km/h.
The record-breaking event took place at the Yonex factory gym in Soka, Saitama, Japan, and was officially verified by Guinness World Records under controlled conditions.
Satwik's smash also surpassed the top speed of 372.6 km/h achieved by a Formula 1 car.
In the women's section, Malaysia's Tan Perli set the Guinness World Record for the fastest women's badminton hit with a remarkable speed of 438 km/h.
In Korea Open 2023, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and his doubles partner Chirag Shetty defeated Thailand's Supak Jomkoh and Kittinpong Kedren with a score of 21-16, 21-14 to enter the pre-quarterfinals.
Among all the Indian participants in the Korea Open 2023, Satwik and Chirag were the only players to enter the pre-quarterfinals.
Korea Open 2023 is scheduled to take place from 18 July 2023 to 23 July 2023. The host city of Korea Open 2023 is Yeosu, South Korea.
About South Korea
Capital - Seoul
Prime Minister - Han Duck-soo
President - Yoon Suk Yeol
Official languages - Korean, Korean Sign Language
9. Harshvardhan Bansal appointed President of NAREDCO Delhi Chapter
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According to an announcement made by the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), Unity Group Director Harshvardhan Bansal has been appointed as the President of NAREDCO Delhi Chapter.
An Overview of the News
NAREDCO, a premier national organization representing the real estate sector, functions under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The establishment of NAREDCO Delhi Chapter has been announced recently, which will further expand the reach of the organization.
Presently, NAREDCO already has state branches in Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.
The successful launch of the Delhi Chapter reflects NAREDCO's commitment to be actively involved in real estate development in the capital city.
Additionally, NAREDCO is in the process of setting up a chapter in Uttarakhand, indicating its plans for further expansion.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, headed by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, oversees the functioning of NAREDCO.
About NAREDCO
It was established in 1998 with the support of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
It is the leading industry association in the real estate sector in India.
Its primary objective is to provide a valid platform to the government, real estate industry and general public to address concerns and find solutions to challenges in the real estate sector.
It has a membership base of over 5000 members across India, including its State NAREDCO chapters.
Headquarters - New Delhi
Appointments and Objectives of the Delhi Chapter of NAREDCO
PK Gupta, the present CMD of NBCC, has been appointed as the chairman of the Delhi chapter of NAREDCO.
Vineet Kanwar, group executive director of DLF, was appointed as the vice-chairman.
Gaurav Jain, CEO of India Infracorp Bahrain, was elected as the President-elect.
NAREDCO Delhi Chapter aims to promote sustainable development and encourage investment in the industry.
10. Appointment of Chief Justice of Telangana and Kerala to the Supreme Court
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Telangana Chief Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan and Kerala Chief Justice S Venkatanarayana Bhatti were appointed as Supreme Court judges based on the recommendation of their names by the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.
An Overview of the News
With the appointments of Justice Bhuiyan and Justice Bhatti, the total strength of judges in the Supreme Court has gone up to 33, with only one vacancy remaining.
Background of Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan:
Justice Bhuiyan was appointed as a judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 17, 2011.
From June 28, 2022, he is serving as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.
His appointment to the Supreme Court comes after his tenure and experience as the Chief Justice of Telangana.
Background of Justice S. Venkatanarayana Bhatti:
Justice Bhatti was appointed as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on April 12, 2013.
In March 2019, he was transferred to the Kerala High Court, where he serves as the Chief Justice from June 1, 2023.
The appointment of Justice Bhatti to the Supreme Court also addresses the absence of representation from the High Court of Andhra Pradesh from August 2022.
Reason for the selection of Justice Bhatti:
The Supreme Court Collegium noted that Justice Bhatti's judgments cover a wide variety of legal issues and reflect his legal acumen and competence.
The appointment recognizes his experience and addresses the lack of representation from the Andhra Pradesh High Court in the Supreme Court.
