1. Vietnam's Minister of Public Security, To Lam, Elected as Country's New President
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Vietnam's National Assembly approves To Lam, Minister of Public Security, as the new President.
An Overview of the News
Lam's appointment follows the resignation of former President Vo Van Thuong amid a corruption crackdown.
Lam becomes the third President in less than 18 months in Vietnam, known for its stable politics.
He holds the third most powerful position in Vietnam, after the Party Chief and Prime Minister.
Lam is perceived as a hardliner in dealing with Vietnamese activists, with numerous dissidents and bloggers jailed during his tenure as Minister of Public Security.
Controversies Surrounding Lam:
Lam faced criticism after a video surfaced of him being hand-fed an expensive gold leaf steak by celebrity chef Salt Bae during a UK trip.
During the same trip, he visited the grave of communist icon Karl Marx
Constitutional Issues:
Controversy arose regarding Lam's eligibility to hold both the position of President and Minister simultaneously.
Some argued that the Constitution prohibits one person from simultaneously holding both roles.
Lam was eventually dismissed from the Ministerial position before being elected President.
2. John Slaven Appointed Vice-Chairman of International Aluminium Institute
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Vedanta Aluminium has announced the appointment of its CEO, John Slaven, as Vice-Chairman of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI).
An Overview of the News
Leadership Role: In his new role, Slaven will lead global initiatives to promote sustainable transformation within the aluminium industry.
John Slaven's Role and Vision:
Sustainability Focus: Emphasizes aluminium’s crucial role in advancing the energy transition towards a Zero Carbon future.
Industry Advocacy: Aims to increase awareness of aluminium’s vast potential and promote its use in creating a greener planet.
John Slaven's Background:
Experience: Over 30 years in the metals, mining, and modern manufacturing industries.
Leadership: Held diverse positions in top companies, contributing to transformative advancements.
Current Role: As CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, he oversees the company's growth strategy, prioritising environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts.
Recognition: Under his leadership, Vedanta Aluminium has been recognised as the most sustainable aluminium company in the world.
International Aluminium Institute (IAI):
Establishment: Founded in 1972, it is the sole organisation representing the global primary aluminium industry.
Mission: Focuses on raising awareness about the industry’s operations, advocating for responsible production, and highlighting aluminium's environmental benefits.
Membership and Data: Includes the world’s leading bauxite, alumina, and aluminium companies, maintaining over 40 years of extensive global data on production, consumption, energy use, and environmental impact.
3. ITC's Sanjeev Puri takes over as CII chairman for 2024-25
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ITC Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Sanjeev Puri has assumed the post of CII Chairman for 2024-25, succeeding R Dinesh, Chairman, TVS Supply Chain Solutions.
An Overview of the News
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) held a meeting on May 19, 2024, to elect new office bearers for the year 2024-25.
About Sanjeev Puri:
Sanjeev Puri holds several key positions within ITC Limited, including Chairman of ITC Infotech India Limited and its subsidiaries in the UK and USA, as well as Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd.
Under his leadership, ITC has launched the 'ITC Next' vision, which aims to transform the group into a future-tech, climate-positive, innovative and inclusive enterprise.
Sanjeev Puri has been honored with several awards, including the 'Best CEO Award' by Business Today in 2024 and the 'Transformational Leader Award 2022-23' by the Asian Center for Corporate Governance and Sustainability.
Rajeev Memani appointed as Chairman Designate of CII
He serves as Chairman of the India Region of Ernst & Young (EY) and is a member of EY's global management body, leading the Global Emerging Markets Committee.
Rajeev Memani is recognized as a trusted advisor to large Indian companies, private equity funds and multinational organizations, providing guidance on various aspects such as trust building, mergers and acquisitions, technology and smart capital allocation strategies.
R Mukundan appointed as CII Vice Chairman
He is the Managing Director and CEO of Tata Chemicals Limited and holds the status of a distinguished alumnus from IIT Roorkee and Harvard Business School.
With 33 years of experience within the Tata Group, R Mukundan has held various leadership positions in the chemicals, automotive and hospitality sectors, and has made significant contributions to the industry. He actively participates in industry forums and impact organizations.
About CII
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is a prominent business lobby group in India, established in 1895 as the Engineering and Iron Trades Association in Bengal.
It was known as the Confederation of Engineering Industry (CEI) until 1992 when it adopted its current name.
CII is headquartered in New Delhi and advocates for business-friendly policies by engaging with the government.
Other key business lobby groups in India include ASSOCHAM, FICCI, and NASSCOM.
ASSOCHAM's President is Sanjay Nayar, FICCI's President for 2023-2024 is Dr. Anish Shah, and NASSCOM's President since 2018 is Debjani Gosh.
4. Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai Becomes Fourth Prime Minister of Singapore
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Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai, a US-trained economist and former civil servant, was sworn in as Singapore's fourth Prime Minister on May 15, 2024.
An Overview of the News
Oath of Office: The oath was administered by the President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Predecessor: Wong succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2024.
Leadership Role: Wong will lead the fourth generation People's Action Party (PAP) government, known as the 4G government, as both Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
Term Duration: He is expected to hold the post until the general election, which is set to be held by November 2025.
About Lawrence Wong
Political Career: Wong was first elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in 2011.
Previous Positions:
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister in the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth
Minister in the Ministry of National Development
Minister in the Ministry of Education
Other Roles:
Deputy Chief Executive in the Energy Market Authority
Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore
Co-chaired the Multi-Ministry Taskforce overseeing the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
About Singapore
President - Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Prime Minister - Lawrence Wong
Capital - Singapore
5. Renowned Author and Padma Shri Awardee Malti Joshi Passes Away at 90
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Famous writer and story writer Malti Joshi, awarded with Padmashree award, passed away at the age of 90.
An Overview of the News
Joshi was awarded the prestigious 'Padma Shri' in 2018 for his contribution to literature and education.
About Malti Joshi:
Early life:
Born on 4 June 1934 in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
Famous as 'Meera of Malwa'.
Writing Career:
Started writing stories in adolescence.
In 1969, his story won an award and was published in the children's Hindi magazine 'Parag'.
In 1971, his first story was published in the prestigious Hindi literary magazine 'Dharmyug' produced by the Times Group.
Notable works:
'Madhyaantar', 'Pataakshep', 'Parajay', 'Ek Ghar Sapno Ka', 'Woh Tera Ghar, Ye Mera Ghar',and Novel: 'Aurat Ek Raat Hai'
Publication:
Joshi's stories and novels have been published in leading publications such as Weekly Hindustan, Manorama, Kadambini and Sarika.
Broadcast Media:
Many of his stories have been presented on radio and television, including 'Saat Phere', 'Kirdaar' and 'Bhavna'.
Other honours:
Shikhar Samman (2006)
Dushyant Kumar Sahitya Samman (2011)
Ojaswini Samman (2011)
National Maithili Sharan Gupta Award (2013-2014)
Kamleshwar Memorial Award (2016)
Hindi Sevi Samman (2018)
6. Padma Shri Awardee Dr. Birubala Rabha Passes Away at the Age of 75
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Dr. Birubala Rabha, recipient of the Padma Shri award, passed away at the age of 75 in the State Cancer Institute (SCI) at Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Assam.
An Overview of the News
Birubala Rabha was born in 1954 in Thakurvilla village of Goalpara, Assam.
Founded 'Mission Birubala' in 2012 to combat superstitions and raise awareness against witch-hunting.
Through her efforts, 55 lives were saved in Majuli, Kokrajhar, Goalpara, and Tinsukia districts.
Played a key role in the enactment of the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention, and Protection) Act, 2015.
This law imposed penalties of up to Rs 5 lakh and 7 years of imprisonment for accusing someone of being a witch.
Awards and Honours
Padma Shri: Awarded in 2021 for her efforts in protecting lives in rural India
Nobel Peace Prize Nomination: Nominated in 2005 by The Swiss Peace, Switzerland under the project '1000 Women'
Honorary Doctorate: Awarded by Gauhati University in 2015
7. Appointment of Nemkumar H as Managing Director of IIFL Securities Limited
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Nemkumar H assumed the role of Managing Director (MD) of IIFL Securities Limited on 15th May, 2024.
An Overview of the News
Nemkumar H was serving as a Whole-time Director on the Board of the Company prior to his appointment as MD.
Nemkumar H succeeded R. Venkataraman, who served as Chairman and MD of IIFL Securities Limited.
Venkataraman's tenure as MD of the company concluded on 14th May, 2024.
Narendra Jain has been appointed as a Whole-Time Director for a term of 5 years.
Background of Nemkumar H:
Professional Qualification: Nemkumar H is a Chartered Accountant (CA) by profession.
Previous Experience: He spent nearly a decade at CLSA Limited, formerly known as Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia, where he held various roles including Equity Analyst, head of research, and country head.
Early Career: Nemkumar H commenced his career at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), where he worked for 8 years in the corporate treasury and pricing departments.
Association with IIFL: Nemkumar H joined IIFL in 2007 and played a pivotal role as one of the founding members of IIFL's Institutional Equities Business.
8. Dilip Sanghani Appointed IFFCO Chairman
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Dilip Sanghani was re-elected as Chairman of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) for the second consecutive term.
An Overview of the News
Balveer Singh has been elected Vice President of IFFCO for the second consecutive time.
Sanghani, a former MP and cabinet minister during Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, previously held ministerial posts in the Modi government in Gujarat and headed various departments.
Singh, a senior member of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, served as the state convenor of the BJP cooperative cell and district president of Shahjahanpur.
Highlights of the election process:
According to an IFFCO statement, the elections saw significant participation from cooperatives representing more than 36,000 member societies across the country.
IFFCO Managing Director U.S. Awasthi confirmed that the elections were conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
About IFFCO:
It functions as a multi-state cooperative society.
Its primary focus is on manufacturing and marketing of fertilizers.
The company's headquarters is located in New Delhi, India.
Established - 3 November 1967
Founder - Udaybhansinghji Natwarsinghji Jethwa
9. Kami Rita Sherpa Sets New Record with 29th Ascent of Mount Everest
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Kami Rita Sherpa, a renowned Nepalese climber and guide, achieved a historic feat by summiting Mount Everest for the 29th time.
An Overview of the News
Often referred to as the 'Everest Man', Kami Rita surpassed his own previous record of 28 successful ascents, which he achieved in the spring season of the previous year.
Kami Rita reached the summit of Mount Everest at 7:25 am (NST) on May 12.
He accomplished this feat while leading an expedition organized by 'Seven Summit Treks', showcasing his leadership and expertise in mountaineering.
Expedition Details
Kami Rita embarked on his expedition from Kathmandu at the end of May, leading a team of approximately 28 climbers.
As an experienced guide, he provided valuable leadership and support to the team throughout the challenging journey.
Historical Significance
With a climbing legacy spanning 71 years, Kami Rita now holds the esteemed record for the highest number of ascents on Mount Everest.
His achievement surpasses the previous record held by Pasang Dawa Sherpa, another renowned climber from Solukhumbu, who climbed Sagarmatha for the 27th time last year.
10. N. Chandrasekaran appointed Chairman of Tata Electronics
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N. Chandrasekaran, the current chairman of Tata Sons, will also serve as the chairman of Tata Electronics.
An Overview of the News
Chandrasekaran will replace Banmali Agarwal in this role, pending regulatory approval.
Chandrasekaran's appointment reflects the Tata Group's commitment to the semiconductor business.
Key appointments at Tata Electronics:
Chandrasekaran was instrumental in recruiting former Intel Foundry Services veteran Randhir Thakur as CEO and MD of Tata Electronics.
Srinivas Satya, previously at Applied Materials, joins as chief supply chain officer and president of the components business.
International Talent Acquisition:
Tata Electronics has recruited 50-60 top-level expatriates, leveraging their expertise in semiconductor technology, strategic planning, and design.
Tata Electronics expansion and facility acquisition:
The company, established in 2020, is Apple's sole Indian vendor to assemble iPhone enclosures.
Tata Electronics is expanding its existing facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, and has acquired a facility in Karnataka from Taiwan's Wistron.
Plans are underway to acquire Pegatron facility in Tamil Nadu to further expand production capacity.
