6th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting

6th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting

Environment Ministers of the five BRICS countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa participated in the 6th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting  through a video conference under the presidency of Russia.

in 2015 India launched the Air Quality index monitoring in 10 cities, today it has been extended to 122 cities.

the meeting was preceded by the BRICS Working Group meeting.

India will assume the BRICS Presidency in 2021.

International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem

International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem

The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015 and celebrated each year on 26 July, aims to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem" and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.


The inclusion of mangroves in Biosphere Reserves, World Heritage sites and UNESCO Global Geoparks contributes to improving the knowledge, management and conservation of mangrove ecosystems throughout the world.

It also aims to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.

World Nature Conservation Day

World Nature Conservation Day

Celebrated across the world on July 28, World Nature Conservation Day is yet another important day that reminds us of the importance of nature in our lives and why we need to conserve it.

The day gives us an opportunity to raise awareness about the conservation of nature and encourage sustainability.

The day is marked globally to spread awareness about the best practices to protect the natural resources as our Earth has limited resources which we need to use efficiently to maintain the balance.

Somalia's deputy PM says appointed as acting prime minister

Somalia's deputy PM says appointed as acting prime minister

Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid has announced his appointment as the interim prime minister following the vote of no confidence against the previous head of government, Hassan Ali Khaire.

Earlier, the country's parliament ousted Khaire by a vote of no confidence.

Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid  is the Acting Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia and the former Deputy Prime Minister from 21st of March, 2017 to the 25th of July 2020.

Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a sovereign country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Guardafui Channel and Somali Sea to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland.

Capital: Mogadishu
Currencies: United States Dollar, Somali shilling
Official language: Somali

SpaceX launched South Korea's 1st military satellite

SpaceX launched South Korea's 1st military satellite

 SpaceX successfully launched South Korea's first military satellite Monday (July 20) and aced a rocket landing, too, to mark its 12th launch of the year.

A Falcon 9 rocket was launched  off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

The mission was originally slated to launch on July 14, but was postponed by SpaceX to allow time for additional preflight rocket checks. 

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia postponed

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia postponed

In a major development, the International Cricket Council Men's T20 World Cup, which was originally scheduled to take place from October 18 to November 15 in Australia, has been postponed

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be held October – November 2021 with the final on 14 November 2021

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will be held October – November 2022 with the final on 13 November 2022

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will be held in India October – November 2023 with the final on 26 November 2023

UAE launched first Arab mission to Mars from Japan

UAE launched first Arab mission to Mars from Japan

The United Arab Emirates on Monday blasted off its first-ever interplanetary Hope Probe mission to Mars from Japan.

Called the 'Al-Amal' in Arabic, the probe lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Centre at 01:58 am(local time).

"United Arab Emirates (UAE) launches its first mission to Mars, the 'Hope Mars Mission' from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center," 

The spacecraft is expected to reach Mars orbit in about 200 days from now and then begin its mission to study the Red Planet's atmosphere, WAM news agency reported.

Once it enters Mars' orbit in the first quarter of 2021, the Hope probe will mark the UAE's 50th anniversary.

The probe will travel 493 million kilometres into space in a journey that will take seven months, and will orbit the Red Planet for one full Martian year of 687 days to provide the first truly global picture of the Martian atmosphere.

Maharashtra became first state to use camera drones to monitor power lines, transmission towers

Maharashtra became first state to use camera drones to monitor power lines, transmission towers

the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company (MSETCL) has started using drones for inspection of power lines and transmission towers

the Union home ministry and Director General of Civil Aviation gave the nod

Drones are now being used for aerial surveillance and inspection of Extra High Voltage (EHV) lines and towers in remote areas of the state, it said.

It can cut maintenance costs and losses from outages,

surveillance through drones is more efficient than manual survey of power lines and detects faults in lines quicker.

These drones are equipped with ultra HD cameras which can take high-resolution close-up photographs and videos of the towers and their components.

Nelson Mandela International Day

Nelson Mandela International Day is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela's birthday.

 The day was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first UN Mandela Day held on 18 July 2010

Mandela Day is a global call to action that celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world, the ability to make an impact.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election

Marianna Vardinoyannis, Morissana Kouyate announced laureates of UN Nelson Mandela prize

Marianna Vardinoyannis, Morissana Kouyate announced laureates of UN Nelson Mandela prize

Marianna Vardinoyannis of Greece and Morissana Kouyate of Guinea were announced the laureates of the United Nations 2020 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize by General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Xinhua reported.

Vardinoyannis is a Greek philanthropist and world advocate for human rights and the protection of children's health and welfare.

 The prize was established in 2014 by the General Assembly to recognise the achievements of those who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity by promoting the purposes and principles of the United Nations while honouring and paying homage to Nelson Mandela's extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition, and social transformation.

The prize is awarded every five years.
It was first awarded in 2015.

The laureates will be recognised at the General Assembly's annual commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day, which,is being marked virtually on July 20.

 An in-person award ceremony will take place on a later date at UN Headquarters in New York

Second India-US Strategic Energy Partnership Ministerial meeting

Second India-US Strategic Energy Partnership Ministerial meeting

The ministerial SEP meeting reviewed the progress made since the first meeting and also take note of accomplishments and agree on priorities going forward in the energy sector.

In February 2018, India had elevated the India-US Energy Dialogue to a SEP.

The SEP was formally announced   in June 2017, and the first ministerial meeting was held in New Delhi on April 17, 2018

The SEP has four primary pillars of cooperation -- oil and gas; power and energy efficiency; renewable energy; and sustainable growth.
Through the SEP, the US and India collectively seek to enhance energy security, expand energy and innovation linkages across the respective energy sectors, bolster strategic alignment, and facilitate increased industry and stakeholder engagement in the energy sector.

The meeting, which was due to be held in Washington DC in April this year

Kate Winslet will be honoured with Tribute Actor Award

Kate Winslet will be honoured with Tribute Actor Award

Kate Winslet will be honoured with Tribute Actor Award at Toronto International Film Festival 2020

she will receive the honour during the virtual gala  for her latest film, Francis Lee's Ammonite.

Gabon Appointed its First Woman Prime Minister

Gabon Appointed its First Woman Prime Minister

Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda  is a Gabonese politician who is currently serving as Prime Minister of Gabon since 16 July 2020, making her the first female prime minister of the country.

She previously served as the Mayor of Libreville and later as the country's Defense Minister from February 2019 to July 2020.

Gabon, is a country along the Atlantic coast of Central Africa

Capital: Libreville

Currency: Central African CFA franc
Population: 21.2 lakhs (2018)
Official language: French

World Day for International Justice

World Day for International Justice

World Day for International Justice, also referred to as Day of International Criminal Justice or International Justice Day, is an international day celebrated throughout the world on July 17 as part of an effort to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice.

July 17 is the date of the adoption of the treaty that created the International Criminal Court.

 On 1 June 2010, at the Review Conference of the Rome Statute held in Kampala (Uganda), the Assembly of State Parties decided to celebrate 17 July as the Day of International Criminal Justice

Cochin Shipyard to build autonomous electric ferries for Norway

Cochin Shipyard to build autonomous electric ferries for Norway

 Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has signed a contract for the construction and supply of two autonomous electric ferries for ASKO Maritime AS, Norway with an option to build two more identical vessels.

ASKO Maritime AS is a subsidiary of NorgesGruppen ASA, one of the largest players in the Norwegian retail segment.

 This project is an ambitious one in Norway, partially funded by the Norwegian government, and aimed at emission-free transport of goods across the Oslofjord.

These vessels will be managed by Massterly AS, the first company setup to take technical management and operate autonomous vessels, a joint venture between Kongsberg, an autonomous technology company, and Wilhelmsen, one of the largest maritime shipping companies.

2020 International Press Freedom Awards

  2020 International Press Freedom Awards

CPJ’s 30th annual International Press Freedom Awards ceremony will honor courageous journalists from around the world on Thursday, November 19, 2020.

This year’s event will be chaired by Patrick Gaspard, president of Open Society Foundations. The evening will be hosted by Lester Holt

2020 award winners:

Shahidul Alam Bangladesh
Mohammad Mosaed, Iran
Dapo Olorunyomi, Nigeria
Svetlana Prokopyeva, Russia

CPJ’s Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award is presented annually to an individual who has shown extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.

Originally the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award, it was renamed in 2017 to honor Gwen Ifill, the veteran journalist and former CPJ board member

Winner : Amal Clooney

Ashok Lavasa appointed as ADB vice-president

Ashok Lavasa appointed  as ADB vice-president

 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Ashok Lavasa as Vice-President for Private Sector Operations and Public–Private Partnerships. He will succeed Diwakar Gupta, whose term will end on 31 August.

Mr. Lavasa  is currently one of the Election Commissioners of India and previously served in a range of senior posts including as Union Finance Secretary of India; Union Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change; and Union Secretary for the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Mr. Lavasa led the Indian delegation in the climate change negotiations for the Paris Agreement and was instrumental in finalizing India’s nationally determined contributions, which included a major role of the private sector

International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021

On the road to the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021

On the road to the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021: Highlighting health and nutritional benefits through sustainable production and consumption of fruits and vegetables

The Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) hosted the event

The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021, approved by the General Assembly and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2019, will be formally launched towards the end of 2020.

The International Year seeks to advocate for the importance of healthy diets and lifestyles through sustainable food systems, within the framework of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025).

2020 Styrian Grand Prix

The 2020 Styrian Grand Prix  was a Formula One motor race that took place on 12 July 2020 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

The race was the second round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship

The race was the first running of the Styrian Grand Prix, and was held exactly one week after the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix at the same track

Mercedes Driver,Lewis Hamilton,  won the Styrian Grand Prix(GP) in Spielberg, Austria

This is the 85th career win of Hamilton 

Global temperature rise likely to exceed 1.5 degrees in 5 years

Global temperature rise likely to exceed 1.5 degrees in 5 years

The annual mean global temperature is likely to be at least 1.5 degrees Celcius above pre-industrial levels in the next five years, according to new climate predictions issued by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

The Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, led by the UK’s Met Office has shown that the last five years have been the warmest on record, and according to their research, these trends are unlikely to change any time soon.

According to the predictions, there is a 70% chance that one or more months during the next 5 years will be at least 1.5°C warmer than pre-industrial levels.

The researchers have also predicted that the Arctic is likely to have warmed by more than twice the global average in the next five years, which could have devastating impacts on global sea levels.

Based on this evidence, the researchers have highlighted the enormous challenge of achieving the Paris Agreement target of keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius.

ISRO will Launch Brazil’s Amazonia-1 Satellite

ISRO will Launch Brazil’s Amazonia-1 Satellite

ISRO is also one of the organizations severely impacted by the pandemic and the lockdown.

A lot of ISRO space missions have been delayed or put on hold as scientists are forced to work from home.

Now, ISRO is gearing up to launch the Amazonia-1 satellite next month aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

the Amazonia-1 satellite will be the first for Earth observation that is designed, assembled, and tested in Brazil

2020 Austrian Grand Prix

2020 Austrian Grand Prix

The 2020 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 5 July 2020 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

The race was the opening round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship, and the 34th running of the Austrian Grand Prix (the 33rd as part of the World Championship since 1950) as well as the first of two consecutive races to be held at the Red Bull Ring

The race was won by Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas with Charles Leclerc in second for Ferrari and Lando Norris finishing third for McLaren his first podium in Formula One.

Norris became the 3rd youngest driver ever to finish on the podium.

Assam govt decides to upgrade Dehing Patkai wildlife sanctuary to a national park

Assam govt decides to upgrade Dehing Patkai wildlife sanctuary to a national park

Assam government  decided to upgrade the Dehing Patkai wildlife sanctuary into a national park

Spread across 937 square kilometres, Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve falls in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts and is located within the periphery of the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary, which is said to be the largest lowland tropical rainforest in India.

Besides elephants, leopards, hoolock gibbons, pangolins and bears, Dehing Patkai is also home to over 200 species of birds, various replies and many species of butterflies and orchids.

Maldives, Sri Lanka eliminate measles & rubella ahead of 2023 target

Maldives, Sri Lanka eliminate measles & rubella ahead of 2023 target

Maldives and Sri Lanka have become the first two countries in the South-East Asia region to eliminate both measles and rubella ahead of the 2023 target.

A country is verified as having eliminated measles and rubella when there is no evidence of endemic transmission for over three years by a well-performing surveillance system.

Maldives reported its last endemic case of measles in 2009 and of rubella in October 2015, while Sri Lanka reported last endemic case of measles in May 2016 and of rubella in March 2017.

Member countries of WHO South-East Asia region had set 2023 as the target for elimination of measles and rubella.

Bhutan, DPR Korea and Timor-Leste are other countries in the region who have eliminated measles

INFORM -Index for Risk Management

INFORM -Index for Risk Management

The overall INFORM risk index identifies countries at risk from humanitarian crises and disasters that could overwhelm national response capacity.

It is made up of three dimensions –hazards and exposure, vulnerability and lack of coping capacity

INFORM is a collaboration between the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Team for Preparedness and Resilience and the EC. INFORM has been developed in response to recommendations by numerous organizations

India has ranked at 31st  place with an inform risk of 5.4, means risk of humanitarian crises and disasters

this report is produced by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is a United Nations body established in December 1991 by the General Assembly to strengthen the international response to complex emergencies and natural disasters

Indian Railways sets up solar plant in Bina

Indian Railways sets up solar plant in Bina

  Indian Railways has set up a  1.7 MW solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh's Bina.

The energy generated from the power plant will be used to run trains.

Indian Railways will commission the 1.7 MW solar power plant in next 15 days which will save Rs 1.37 crore annually.

The pilot project is under extensive testing and trial.

The 1.7 MW solar power plant has been set up as a pilot project by Railways in collaboration with Bharat Heavy Electrical (BHEL) on railway land near the tracks in Bina.

The plant will have stepped up voltage of 25,000 volts through transformers to be fed to the overhead power lines of the Railways to power the traction system of the locomotives.

The feed from the plant has been synchronised with the 25kV Railway Overhead Line.

India's Mars Orbiter Mission captured image of Mars' moon Phobos

India's Mars Orbiter Mission captured image of Mars' moon Phobos

 The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) released the picture of a mysterious moon of Mars saying that the image was captured by India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM).

Mars Colour Camera (MCC) onboard Mars Orbiter Mission took the image of Phobos, the closest and biggest moon of Mars, on July 1 when MOM was about 7200 km from Mars and at 4200 km from Phobos. Spatial resolution of the image is 210 m.

The image was a composite image generated from 6 MCC frames and had been colour corrected, said Isro.

Phobos is largely believed to be made up of carbonaceous chondrites.

The violent phase that Phobos has seen is visible in the large section gouged out from a past collision.

Stickney, the largest crater on Phobos, along with the other craters (Shklovsky, Roche & Grildrig) were also visible in the image, said Isro.

The Rs 450 crore mission, was launched with the PSLV-C25 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on November 5, 2013.

After crossing more than 66 crore kilometres in 300 days it entered into Mars orbit on September 24, 2014.

French PM Edouard Philippe Resigned, president Macron named centre-right Jean Castex as new PM

French PM Edouard Philippe Resigned, president  Macron  named centre-right  Jean Castex as new PM


Édouard Philippe has been replaced as prime minister  by President Emmanuel Macron

Macron named Jean Castex, 55, a career civil servant

Édouard Charles Philippe is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 15 May 2017 to 3 July 2020 under President Emmanuel Macron.

Jean Castex is a French politician who has been serving as Prime Minister of France since 3 July 2020.

Prior to his appointment, he was a high-ranking civil servant tasked with coordinating the easing of France's COVID-19 lockdown.

World Sports Journalists Day

Every year July 02 is celebrated as World Sports Journalists Day or International Sports Journalists Day.

 It is to acknowledge the sports journalists and also mark the anniversary of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).

The association was established in 1924 during the Summer Olympics in Paris.
 

India Conducts Naval Exercise With Japan In Indian Ocean Region

  India Conducts Naval Exercise With Japan In Indian Ocean Region

 the warships of Indian and Japanese held a small exercise towards the Malacca strait in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) on Saturday (27 June)

Indian Navy's Rajput-class destroyer INS Rana and Kora-class missile corvette INS Kulish took part in the exercise with JS Shimayuki and JS Kashmia of Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Forece's training squadron.

Since 2015, Japan has become a regular participant in the annual "Malabar" naval exercise with India and US.

The "Malabar" exercise is slated to be held later this year in the Bay of Bengal.

Besides, India and Japan have also increased their bilateral military ties with an annual joint land military exercise, "Dharma Guardian", being held since 2018.

India and Japan are now also finalising a reciprocal military logistics agreement to furhter strengthen their strategic partnership.

 

Charted Accountants Day

Charted Accountants Day or CA Day is celebrated on July 1 every year to commemorate the finding of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) by the parliament of India in 1949.

ICAI is India's national professional accounting body and also the second biggest accounting organization in the world.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was established on this day in year 1949 under an Act passed in Parliament.

Every year on the day of the establishment of the ICAI, CA Day is celebrated to honor the Chartered Accountant.

The ICAI is the sole licensing and regulatory body for the financial audit and accounting profession in India, and its recommendations are followed by everyone - from the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) to companies and accounting organizations.

International Day of Parliamentarism

International Day of Parliamentarism

June 30 is the day designated to celebrate the International Day of Parliamentarism.

The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/72/278, recognized the role of parliaments in national plans and strategies and in ensuring greater transparency and accountability at national and global levels.

It is also the date, in 1889, on which the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) — the global organization of parliaments — was established.

This Day celebrates parliaments and the ways in which parliamentary systems of government improve the day-to-day lives of people the world over.

It is also an opportunity for parliaments to take stock, identify challenges, and ways to address them effectively