National News:

India Assumes Chair of Colombo Process for 2024-26

• India has taken on the chairmanship of the Colombo Process for the first time since the forum’s inception in 2003.
• The Colombo Process is a regional consultative platform that includes 12 member states from South and Southeast Asia, focusing on the management of overseas employment and the protection of migrant workers.
• This milestone marks a significant step in India's leadership in regional labor migration and migrant worker welfare.

Defence News:

 India Successfully Tests Anti-Radiation Missile ‘Rudram-II’

• India has reached a significant milestone with the successful flight test of the indigenously developed anti-radiation missile, Rudram-II.
• Launched from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft off the coast of Odisha, this advanced missile is set to be a crucial asset for the Indian Armed Forces.
• It will serve as a force multiplier in Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions, enhancing India's defense capabilities.

Awards News:

Top PSUs Honored at Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024

• The inaugural Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024 for Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) took place in Goa on May 27th.
• Organized by the Outlook Media Group, with BDO India as the Awards Process Advisor and IIT Goa as the Knowledge Partner, this event celebrated the sustainability initiatives of government-owned companies.
• It provided a platform to recognize and honor the efforts of PSUs in promoting sustainability.

Important Days:

International Potato Day 2024: Harvesting Diversity, Feeding Hope

• The world will celebrate the first-ever International Potato Day on May 30th.
• In December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly designated May 30th as International Potato Day to be observed annually.
• This day aims to raise awareness about the immense nutritional, economic, environmental, and cultural value of the humble potato, highlighting its importance in global food security and diversity.

International Everest Day 2024 Observed on May 29

• On May 29, the world will observe International Everest Day to commemorate Nepalese climber Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand’s Edmund Hillary, the first individuals to summit Mt. Everest in 1953.
• This monumental achievement has inspired generations of adventurers and mountaineers, celebrating the spirit of exploration and human endurance.