1) Hostilities between Israel and Hamas escalated after the air strikes
•The Israeli military has bombarded rockets in different areas in Gaza. It is the most intense airstrikes in Gaza since 2014. Hamas had red hundreds of rockets towards Israel on Monday. After that, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Gaza.
•The Gaza-based Palestinian group, Hamas, had red rockets towards Israel in protest of the clash between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters in the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Al-Aqsa Mosque is located in Jerusalem. It is the third holiest place for Muslims.
2) Care Ratings Projects India’s GDP Forecast to 9.2% for FY22
•The domestic rating agency, Care Ratings, has revised the GDP growth forecast of India for the current fiscal year 2021-2022 (FY22) to 9.2 per cent. This is lower than 10.2 per cent estimated earlier in April 2021.
3) Martin Griffiths appointed new UN Humanitarian Chief
•Veteran British diplomat Martin Griffiths has been appointed as the new Chief at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), for a period of five years. Griffiths will replace Mark Lowcock as the new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC) of OCHA. He is currently serving as the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen.
4) PESB appoints Arun Kumar Singh as next CMD of BPCL
•The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), the government’s head-hunter, has picked Arun Kumar Singh as the chairman and managing director of state-run oil refining and marketing firm Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL).
•Arun Kumar Singh is currently director, marketing at BPCL and holding additional charge of Director, Refineries. His selection will have to be ratified by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet led by prime minister Narendra Modi.
5) Delhi Police launched vehicle helpline ‘COVI Van’ for senior citizens
•Delhi Police has launched a helpline number for senior citizens who are struggling with their essential needs amid Covid-19. South District Police of the national capital has launched a COVI Van Helpline (012- 26241077) for senior citizens in the neighbourhood amid the coronavirus situation here.
6) HDFC Bank projects India’s GDP growth for FY22 at 10%
•HDFC Bank has cut India’s growth projection to 10 per cent from 11.5 per cent for the current financial year, citing the adverse effect of the second Covid-19 wave. In a worst-case scenario of COVID-19, the bank has predicted the GDP rate to be at 8%.
