Ukraine’s Minister Apologises For Offensive Tweet Depicting Hindu Goddess Kali
Today, Emine Dzhaparova, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, expressed her “regret” over an image tweeted by the country’s defence ministry showing a female figure above smoke from a blast. Social media users criticized the image for bearing a resemblance to the Hindu goddess Kali. Dzhaparova stated that Ukraine respects the “unique Indian culture” and regrets the “distorted manner” in which the goddess Kali was depicted, and further expressed appreciation for India’s support. Read the complete article here
India’s First International Multi-modal Logistics Park Coming at Jogighopa, Assam
Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, and Ayush, recently checked on the development of India’s first International Multi-Modal Logistics park in Jogighopa, Assam. The minister reported that the construction of the jetty at the park is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Sonowal expressed his contentment with the progress as the road and railway connectivity are also targeted to be finished by the end of this year. Read the complete article here
UAE Government Launches ‘Machines Can See 2023’ Summit
The UAE government held an international conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) called the ‘Machines Can See 2023’ Summit at the Museum of the Future in Dubai. The conference focused on the limitless possibilities of AI in governance and business. Policymakers, businesses, and academia from all over the world attended the summit. The summit highlighted ‘Dub.ai’ as the AI hub, as reflected by its name. Read the complete article here
Adani Ports Completes Sale Of Myanmar Port For $30 Million
APSEZ has announced the successful completion of the sale of its Myanmar port, Coastal International Terminals Pte Limited, for $30 million. The Risk Committee had advised that the project be terminated in October 2021. The transaction was initially reported in May 2022, following Myanmar’s military coup and ensuing crackdown on protestors, which attracted international condemnation and led to US sanctions. Read the complete article here
India, Israel Sign MoU For Industrial Research And Development Cooperation
The Ministry of Science & Technology announced that India and Israel have signed an MoU on industrial research and development collaboration, representing a significant milestone in their technological and scientific partnership.
The collaboration seeks to facilitate joint industrial research and development projects in various high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence, sustainable energy, quantum and semiconductors, healthcare, aerospace, agriculture, and synthetic biology, among others. Both parties will carry out the MoU via specific projects agreed upon and supervised by a Joint Steering Committee led by the heads of CSIR and DDR&D. Read the complete article here
Delhi HC appoints former Karnataka HC Judge as Basketball Federation of India (BFI) administrator
The Delhi High Court has appointed Justice P. Krishna Bhat, a former judge of the Karnataka High Court, to oversee the election process of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) as per the National Sports Code and Model Election Guidelines. Read the complete article here
RBI Publishes ‘Currency And Finance’ 2022-23 Report Focusing On Climate Change
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently released a study on sustainable growth and carbon emission reductions for fiscal year 2022-23. The report addresses four critical aspects of climate change, including its macroeconomic effects, financial stability implications, and ways for mitigating climate risks. Read the complete article here
PM Gati Shakti: India’s Integrated Infrastructure Connectivity Plan for Economic Growth
The Indian government aims to include social sector ministries in the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) platform to boost socio-economic development. Sumita Dawra, the Special Secretary of the Logistics Division, DPIIT, emphasized the benefits of using the NMP for social sector planning during a meeting on PM Gati Shakti’s NMP adoption. Read the complete article here
TACTICAL RESCUE OPERATION FROM SUDAN BY IAF C-17 NON-STOP OPERATION OF NEARLY 24 HOURS
On the night of May 3-4, 2023, a C-17 Globemaster aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force departed from Hindan and flew through the night to land in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where it refueled before embarking on a nonstop journey back to India via Sudan. The purpose of the mission was to transport 192 passengers, mostly consisting of women, children, and the elderly, who were either NRIs, foreign nationals, or OCIs and could not be taken to Jeddah.
Upon arrival in Sudan, the aircraft executed a tactical descent followed by an assault approach to land the heavy jet, with the engines kept running throughout the ground operations to ensure a swift exit if necessary. During the flight, one passenger became unconscious, but the crew responded promptly by administering 100% oxygen to stabilize the passenger.
The aircraft eventually landed in Ahmedabad late on May 4, before returning to its home base in Hindan later that same night. The crew had been on duty for nearly 24 hours, going above and beyond to bring back stranded countrymen to India.
Meeting of Range Countries to strengthen conservation efforts for migratory birds and their habitats in the Central Asian Flyway (CAF)
From May 2nd to May 4th, 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme/Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS) to hold a meeting in New Delhi aimed at strengthening the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats in the Central Asian Flyway (CAF).
Representatives from eleven CAF countries, including Armenia, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Mongolia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the Secretariats of CMS, AEWA and Raptors MOU, Chief Wildlife Wardens of States, scientific institutions in India, international and national non-governmental organizations, and subject experts, were in attendance.
During the meeting, the delegates discussed and agreed upon an institutional framework for the CAF, prioritized areas for implementation, and drafted a roadmap for updating the CMS CAF Action Plan. The meeting provided a critical opportunity for CAF Range States to collaborate and exchange ideas and best practices to ensure the sustainable conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.
As a result of the discussions, an institutional framework mechanism was established to develop a coordinated approach to the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats, and there was a consensus among the delegates to strengthen and formalize this initiative. The formalization of the Central Asian Flyway initiative was considered a significant step towards the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.
Furthermore, the delegates visited the Sultanpur National Park in Gurugram, Haryana, to learn about the management of bird sanctuaries and best practices being adopted in India for their management.
