International Friendship Day 2022 observed globally on 30 July
International Friendship Day is celebrated annually on July 30 and it was first proposed way back in the year 1958 by World Friendship Crusade, an international civil organisation. According to United Nations, the International Day of Friendship can help promote peace and social harmony among people. In India as well as many other countries, Friendship Day is also celebrated on the first Sunday of August. This year it falls on August 7, 2022.
International Friendship Day 2022: Significance
The International Day of Friendship is an initiative that follows on the proposal made by UNESCO defining the Culture of Peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems.
International Friendship Day: History
The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.
Largest pink diamond in 300 years “Lulo Rose” found in Angola
A rare pure pink diamond, believed to be the largest found in 300 years, has been unearthed in Angola, a country in Central Africa. The Lulo Rose is a type 2a diamond, meaning it has few or no impurities. It is the fifth largest diamond recovered from the Lulo mine – a joint venture between Australia’s Lucapa Diamond Company and the Angolan government.
Dimensions of Lulo Rose:
It is a 170-carat pink diamond & has been named ‘The Lulo Rose’.
It weighs 34 grams.
Similar diamonds have been bought for tens of millions of dollars in the past, with one – known as Pink Star – selling at a Hong Kong auction for $71.2m (£59m) in 2017.
About the Pink diamonds:
Pink diamonds are extremely rare – but the same physical attributes that make the stones scarce also make them very tough, and not easy to work into shapes. The largest known pink diamond is the Daria-i-Noor, discovered in India, which experts believe was cut from an even larger stone.
Chhattisgarh CM launched ‘Mahtari Nyay Rath’ for women rights awareness
To educate the state’s women about their constitutional rights and laws, the Chhattisgarh Women Commission will host the Mukhyamantri Mahtari Nyay Rath Yatra. On the occasion of the Hareli Tihaar festival, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will set off the “Mukhyamantri Mahtari Nyay Rath“. Through short films, messages, and booklets, the chariots will visit all of the districts to educate people about the legal protections for women and their constitutional rights.
KEY POINTS:
Two attorneys will ride in each chariot, listening to women’s complaints and offering information and counsel. Through these carts, women will be able to apply to the Women’s Commission for the resolution of their complaints.
Nationally recognised instructional short films in Hindi and Chhattisgarhi will be shown on a sizable LED screen.
For Mahtari Nyay Rath, the state government has made specific adjustments to the DMF policy. The district will operate Nyay Rath with the DMF money it has received.
According to Dr. Kiranmayi Nayak, chairperson of the state women’s commission, every woman, whether educated or not, needs to be aware of the women’s commission, as well as the laws and regulations that apply to them, as well as their legal rights.
On the occasion of Hareli Tihaar, Mukhyamantri Mahtari Nyay Rath is beginning with the goal of increasing legal knowledge among women.
Indian and Malaysian boides signs deal to support palm oil business
The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association (IVPA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand their cooperation in promoting the usage of palm oil. The MoU is anticipated to increase collaboration in areas of shared interest and to advance the production and consumption of palm oil from Malaysia and palm oil with the MSPO certification. Through cooperative actions and assistance for product and market development, it would advance the interests of producers, processors, users, and consumers.
KEY POINTS:
In order to increase the acceptance of Malaysian palm oil among Indian consumers, food producers, and other end users, MPOC has partnered with IVPA.
The Malaysian Sustainability Palm Oil (MSPO) certification standards, whose goals include demonstrating sustainability practises in the Malaysian palm oil industry, are used as a benchmark in the MoU’s effort to raise public awareness of Malaysian palm oil.
The MoU seeks to promote understanding of palm oil and its uses while highlighting its advantages and strengths in order to inform Indian consumers about the nutritional and health benefits of palm oil.
By locating, disseminating, and emphasising the most recent opportunities through MSPO for Malaysian palm oil in India, it also intends to improve trading opportunities in the market.
The purpose of the agreement is to introduce the Indian palm oil processing industry to the most recent commercial and technological advancements in the Malaysian palm oil industry and its research institutions.
Along with technical, policy, and administrative data, the MoU will promote data exchange on palm and edible oil and fat-related enterprises.
MPOC will support the Indian palm oil industry in acquiring technical know-how in order to advance “Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
About Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association (IVPA):
The Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association (IVPA), an organisation that represents all parties involved in the edible oil value chain, was established in 1977 and formally incorporated as a non-profit organisation under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, in 1979. The mission of IVPA is to promote excellence, economic growth, and sustainability in India’s edible oil and oilseed value chain. The mission of IVPA is to represent the Indian Oils & Oilseeds Industry Players with Credible Voice. IVPA promotes and offers input for policies that boost economic growth in the nation and raise the value of stakeholders through ongoing investment and innovation, while also maintaining the sustainability of supply chains to deliver safe and healthy goods to the expanding population.
Pranay Kumar Verma named as new High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh
Pranay Kumar Verma, an experienced diplomat and IFS official from the 1994 batch, has been chosen to serve as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh. He is currently the ambassador of India to Vietnam. The Delhi-based Ministry of External Affairs made this announcement. Vikram Doraiswami, the current High Commissioner of India to the UK, is rumoured to be taking over, thus he is expected to start the job soon in his stead.
KEY POINTS:
In addition to Washington DC, Ambassador Pranay Kumar Verma has held diplomatic positions in Kathmandu, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and Beijing.
He worked at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi as the Joint Secretary of the East Asia Division.
He also handled India’s nuclear diplomacy as the Joint Secretary for External Relations at the Department of Atomic Energy.
Sandeep Arya, an IFS officer from the 1994 batch, has also been named as India’s new ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Sandeep Arya is currently employed by the Ministry of External Affairs as an Additional Secretary.
Boris Johnson gives Churchill Leadership Award to Ukraine’s Zelenskyy
British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has presented Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award, drawing comparisons between the two leaders in times of crisis. Zelenskyy accepted the award by video link during a ceremony at Johnson’s London office that was attended by members of the Churchill family, Ukrainian Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko and Ukrainians who have received training from British soldiers.
The Ukrainian leader received a standing ovation in the British Parliament in March when he invoked one of Churchill’s most famous speeches and vowed to fight Russian troops in the air, sea and on the streets.
About the Churchill leadership award:
The Churchill leadership award was first presented in 2006. Past recipients include Prince Charles, former British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
ISRO generated $279 million in foreign currency through satellite launches
Dr. Jitendra Singh, India’s Minister of State for Science and Technology, said in front of the parliament that the launch of foreign satellites by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) brought in $279 million in foreign currency. Antrix, the commercial arm of ISRO, made this money by launching 345 foreign satellites from 34 different nations. 56 million of these gains were paid out in dollars, while 223 million were paid out in euros (220 million Euros). There are 2,226 crore rupees in the total.
KEY POINTS:
The first nations to use ISRO’s services to launch satellites were Germany and South Korea.
After 2015, 83% of the international launches took place.
US spacecraft account for 66% of ISRO’s international launches, which also includes non-government satellites.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) of ISRO were used to launch each of these spacecraft.
Since 1975, the Indian government has launched 342 foreign spacecraft in addition to 129 domestic ones, which illustrates the success of ISRO’s commercial satellite programme.
Countries that used ISRO launch Pad:
Germany was the first nation to use Indian services to launch a satellite, and since then, ISRO has gone a long way, launching a total of 345 foreign satellites.
In the 23 years since its ground-breaking debut, it has successfully launched 11 satellites for Germany.
Among the first nations to launch a satellite with ISRO was South Korea.
In comparison to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, India has launched the most satellites, at least according to ISRO data up to January 2022.
About 83 percent of these international satellite launches took place after 2015.
In actuality, the ISRO did not launch any satellites for the USA until 2015.
However, following this, there was no turning back for India-US space cooperation because, according to K Sivan, the former ISRO director, the US accounts for 66% of all foreign satellite launches by ISRO.
ISRO has launched numerous non-government satellites for the US.
For the launch of foreign satellites onboard PSLV between 2021 and 2023, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), India’s first space PSU, has already signed six launch contracts with customers from four different countries. NSIL started operating in 2019.
INS Vikrant: Navy receives India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier
The indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, which was created by the Navy’s own Directorate of Naval Design and will likely be commissioned on Independence Day, was delivered to the Navy by the Cochin Shipyard. It bears the name of the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant, India’s first aircraft carrier, which was an important participant in the war of 1971. The 262-meter-long carrier is significantly larger and more modern than her predecessor, with a full displacement of around 45,000 tonnes. The aircraft carrier has a top speed of 28 knots and is propelled by four gas turbines with a combined 88 MW of power.
KEY POINTS:
The project was completed in three phases, with the last one ending in May 2007, the second in December 2014, and the third in October 2019, at a total cost of just under Rs 20,000 crore. In February 2009, its keel was laid.
The aircraft carrier, which has a total indigenous content of 76%, is a prime illustration of the pursuit of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat and gives the government’s Make in India initiative a boost, according to the Navy.
With the delivery of Vikrant, India has joined a small group of countries with the specialised capacity to design and construct an aircraft carrier domestically.
Vikrant was developed to support a variety of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft and features a high level of automation for ship navigation, machinery operation, and survivability.
The ship would be able to fly a 30 aircraft air wing, including indigenously produced advanced light helicopters and light combat aircraft, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, MIG-29K fighter planes, and light combat aircraft.
The aircraft carrier is outfitted with a ski-jump for launching aircraft and a set of arrester wires for their recovery onboard, both of which are used in the innovative aircraft-operation mode known as STOBAR (Short Take-Off but Arrested Landing).