‘Gigachat’ Russia’s Sberbank Launches Al To Compete With ChatGPT
Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender, has launched its own generative artificial intelligence tool, GigaChat, to compete with Microsoft-backed ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. Its multimodal neural network technology is now in an invite-only testing phase.
The model, according to the company’s release on Monday, can answer customers’ questions, hold conversations, develop software programme codes, and generate words and graphics based on the same context. GigaChat also offers multimodal interaction and is better trained in Russian, according to the business. Read the complete article here
Coal Miners Day 2023 observed on May 4th
Sir George Bruce of Carnock of Culross, Scotland, opened the world’s first coal mine in 1575. In India, the first coal mine was opened in 1774 at Raniganj in West Bengal. The Industrial Revolution started in Britain in the 1700s and spread to other parts of the world such as Europe, North America, and Japan. This revolution was primarily powered by coal, which was used to operate steam engines. Read the complete article here
India’s 1st Woman Rafale Pilot, Shivangi Singh Take Part In France Exercise
Shivangi Singh is a pioneer in the Indian Air Force for becoming the first female pilot to fly the Rafale combat aircraft. Her contributions extend beyond this extraordinary performance, as she is also a member of the IAF squad that will participate in the global Exercise Orion in France. Shivangi will be able to cement her place in history by demonstrating her flying ability on the multi-role air dominance aircraft. Read the complete article here
AI ‘Godfather’ Geoffrey Hinton warns of dangers as he quits Google
Geoffrey Hinton, the renowned computer scientist and a pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence, has recently announced his departure from Google, leading to concerns about the future of AI. Hinton’s statement expressing regret about his life’s work has added to these worries. Read the complete article here
Qantas Airways Ltd Appointed Vanessa Hudson As Their CEO
Vanessa Hudson was named as the new CEO of Qantas Airways Ltd on May 2. This makes her the first woman in the airline’s history to hold the role, succeeding Alan Joyce, who will retire in November. Hudson has 28 years of experience with Qantas, including Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President for the Americas and New Zealand. Read the complete article here
Government Launches Vivad se Vishwas Scheme Relief For MSMEs Impacted By COVID-19
The Ministry of Finance has established a new scheme called “Vivad se Vishwas I – Relief to MSMEs” under the Department of Expenditure. The goal of this programme is to help Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative was launched as part of the Union Budget 2023-24 by Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. Smt. Sitharaman announced the plan in Para 66 of her budget address. Read the complete article here
Indian origin Ajay Banga confirmed as the next President of the World Bank
The 25-member executive board of the World Bank has confirmed that Ajay Banga, former CEO of Mastercard, will take over as the first Asian president of the World Bank from David Malpass. The tenure of Ajay Banga will start on June 2 and will last for a period of 5 years. Read the complete article here
Odisha extends Indian Hockey Team sponsorship till 2033
The government of Odisha has decided to extend its sponsorship for the Indian Men and Women’s Hockey Teams (both senior and junior) for another ten years, from 2023 to 2033. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the state’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Odisha has been the official sponsor of the teams since 2018, and this further support is expected to play a crucial role in the growth and development of hockey in India. Read the complete article here
Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya reviews ‘Food Street Project’ to develop 100 Healthy and Hygienic Food Streets across the country
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, conducted a review of the ‘Food Street Project’ alongside senior officers of the Health Ministry and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The objective of this initiative is to promote safe and healthy food practices among food businesses and community members, ultimately reducing the incidence of foodborne illnesses and improving overall health outcomes.
To implement the food streets, the National Health Mission (NHM) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide a grant of Rs. 1 crore per food street as a pilot project to support 100 such food streets across the country. The grant will be allocated under the NHM, with a 60:40 or 90:10 ratio, with the caveat that branding of these food streets adhere to FSSAI guidelines.
The funding will cover various activities such as ensuring access to safe drinking water, providing hand washing and toilet facilities, maintaining tiled flooring in common areas, arranging for appropriate liquid and solid waste disposal, providing dustbins, utilizing billboards, preparing façade and permanent signage, establishing common storage space, installing lighting, specialized carts for specific trades, branding, and more.
This initiative will be implemented through NHM in conjunction with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and with technical support from FSSAI. The technical support will encompass assisting with the design of food streets, preparing a standard operating procedure (SOP), and providing training on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) protocol.
PRESIDENT OF INDIA LAUNCHES ‘ADDICTION FREE ODISHA’ CAMPAIGN OF BRAHMA KUMARIS CENTRE, HATBADRA
On May 4, 2023, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, launched the ‘Addiction Free Odisha’ campaign by the Brahma Kumaris Centre at Hatbadra, Mayurbhanj. In her speech, the President highlighted that addiction is a disorder and a social, economic, physical, and mental curse. She stressed that drug addiction causes tension within families and society, and therefore, it is essential to raise awareness about the harmful effects of drug abuse. The President expressed her belief that when people understand the negative impacts of drug abuse, they will try to quit it.
The President acknowledged addiction as the biggest enemy of society and commended the Brahma Kumaris Centre for their efforts in creating a healthy society through spirituality. She wished for the success of the ‘Addiction Free Odisha’ campaign.
Before the launch, the President visited Pahadpur village and paid her respects to Late Shri Shayam Charan Murmu. She also laid the foundation stones for the Skill Training Hub and Community Centre in the village and interacted with the locals.
