CURRENT AFFAIRS

 

1. WORLD’S FIRST ASIAN KING VULTURE CONSERVATION AND BREEDING CENTRE IN MAHARAJGANJ, UP –

• Uttar Pradesh is set to establish the world’s first conservation and breeding centre for Asian king vultures or red-headed vultures in Maharajganj. The facility will improve the population of critically endangered species listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list since 2007. The centre is named Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre.

About Asian King vulture

• This is one of the 9 species of Vulture which are found in India.
• It is also called the Asian King vulture or Pondicherry Vulture was extensively found in India but its numbers drastically reduced after diclofenac poisoning.
• Conservation status: IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
• The centre is named Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre, where 24×7 monitoring of the vultures is being done. Among its staff include a scientific officer and a biologist. They (vultures) make one partner in their entire life and lay one egg in a year. Hence, their monitoring is our highest priority.

 

2. OLYMPICS MEDALIST BAJRANG PUNIA SUSPENDED BY NADA FOR ANTI-DOPING RULE VIOLATION –

• Olympic bronze medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia has been suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for a second time for refusing to provide a urine sample during selection trials. This suspension comes after NADA revoked his previous suspension due to procedural issues. Punia’s legal team plans to challenge the suspension, arguing he did not refuse to provide a sample but sought clarification on expired kits used previously.
• NADA initially suspended Bajrang Punia on April 23 for refusing to give a urine sample during selection trials in Sonepat on March 10. The global governing body for wrestling, United World Wrestling (UWW), also suspended him. Punia appealed, and the Anti-Disciplinary Doping (ADDP) panel revoked the suspension on May 31, citing that NADA had not issued a formal “notice of charge.”
• On Sunday, NADA served Punia with a formal notice of charge, reinstating his provisional suspension. The notice stated Punia violated Article 2.3 of the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021, for refusing to submit a urine sample. Punia has until July 11 to request a hearing or accept the charge.

 

3. FDI TO INDIA DROPS BY 43% IN 2023, RANKED 15TH GLOBALLY: UNCTAD –

• According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), foreign direct investment (FDI) to India in 2023 decreased by 43% compared to 2022, dropping India’s rank to 15th among global FDI recipients. This decline mirrors a global trend where overall FDI fell by 2%.
• The annual World Investment Report by UNCTAD highlights a general decline in FDI worldwide due to multinational companies’ cautious approach. Factors contributing to this decline include uncertain global growth prospects, economic fracturing, trade and geopolitical tensions, industrial policies, and supply chain diversification.
• International project finance, crucial for infrastructure development, dropped by 23%, while cross-border mergers and acquisitions fell by 46%.
• FDI to developing countries fell by 7% to $867 billion, with developing Asia seeing an 8% drop to $621 billion. Notably, FDI to China, India, West Asia, and Central Asia also declined. India’s FDI inflow in 2023 was $28 billion, down from $49 billion in 2022, resulting in its global FDI recipient ranking falling from 8th to 15th.