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By admin: June 8, 2024

World Oceans Day - 8 June 2024

Tags: Important Days

World Oceans Day is celebrated annually on 8 June. It serves as a global reminder of the important role the oceans play in sustaining life on Earth.

An Overview of the News

• Recognized by the United Nations, it promotes ocean awareness and encourages action to protect the marine environment.

• This year's World Oceans Day 2024 theme, "Awaken New Depths,"underscores the critical need to preserve marine ecosystems as we recognize our profound dependency on the ocean and the imperative for urgent action.

• Actions include supporting marine conservation, promoting responsible fishing practices, reducing marine pollution, and advocating for the protection of marine habitats and species.

History of World Oceans Day:

• It was proposed by the ICOD of Canada and the OIC in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

• Its purpose was to raise awareness about the importance of the ocean to the planet and humanity.

• It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008.

• It supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promotes public interest in ocean conservation and sustainable resource management.

Some important facts about ocean 

• There are a total of five oceans on Earth. The Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean), Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean), Indian Ocean (Indian Ocean), Arctic Ocean (Arctic Ocean) and Antarctic Ocean or Southern Ocean (Antarctic Ocean).

• The Pacific is the largest and deepest ocean. Its depth on the Mariana Trench is 11,033 metres i.e. about 11 kilometres.

• The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest ocean.

• The water of the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest. Its water has a salinity of 3.7 percent.

• The world's saltiest sea (Red Sea) and warmest ocean (Persian Gulf) are located in the Indian Ocean.

• The Arctic Ocean is the ocean with the least salt.

Lok Sabha Secretariat develops "Prerana Sthal"

Tags: National News

The Lok Sabha Secretariat is developing "Prerana Sthal" within the Parliament House Complex.

An Overview of the News

• Statues of renowned leaders and freedom fighters will be relocated to Prerana Sthal from various parts of the Complex.

• The objective is to create a unified space where visitors can easily view and draw inspiration from these statues.

• The initiative aims to enhance the overall attractiveness and grandeur of the Parliament Complex.

• Following the construction of the new Parliament Building, a landscaping and beautification plan has been devised.

• Prerana Sthal will incorporate modern technology to provide detailed information about the lives and contributions of the featured leaders to visitors.

New Parliament House, New Delhi:

• The new Parliament building in New Delhi was inaugurated on May 28, 2023, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• Situated on Rafi Marg within the Central Vista, it is surrounded by key landmarks like the Old Parliament House, India Gate, and the Vice President's House.

• Officially named Parliament of India, it was first used for business on September 19, 2023, during a special session.

• The need for a new parliament arose in the early 2010s due to stability concerns with the old structure.

• A committee, established in 2012 by then-Speaker Meira Kumar, explored alternatives to the existing building.

• The original 93-year-old structure lacked space and structural stability, prompting plans for its replacement while ensuring preservation of its heritage value.

Renowned Wildlife Biologist A.J.T. Johnsingh Passed away in Bengaluru

Tags: Person in news

A pioneer and eminent wildlife biologist in the field of wildlife conservation in the country, A.J.T. John Singh died on 7 June in Bengaluru at the age of 78.

An Overview of the News

Early Career and Education:

• Began his career as a Zoology lecturer in Sivakasi in the early 1970s.

• Johnsingh's passion for wildlife led him to pursue a Ph.D. in wildlife studies, driven by his extensive field trips to forests.

Contributions to Conservation

• Pioneered research on elephants in the early 1980s, which played a crucial role in the formulation of Project Elephant by the Government of India.

• Organized an international conference on elephants at Mudhumalai wildlife sanctuary, gathering experts from around the world.

Affiliations and Associations

• Associated with esteemed organizations such as the Bombay Natural History Society, the Corbett Foundation, and the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru.

• Served as a member of the National Wildlife Board and Tiger Conservation Authority, contributing his expertise to policy-making and conservation efforts.

Recognition and Awards

• Johnsingh was honored with the 2004 Distinguished Service Award for Government by the Society for Conservation Biology.

• He received the Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award in 2004 for his lifelong dedication to Indian wildlife.

• In 2005, Johnsingh was recognized with the ABN AMRO Sanctuary Lifetime Wildlife Service Award.

Aman Sehrawat Claims Silver at Budapest Ranking Series

Tags: Sports

Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the silver medal at the Polyak Imre and Varga Janos Memorial 2024 wrestling tournament in Budapest, Hungary.

An Overview of the News

• Sehrawat lost the men's 57kg final to Japan’s Rei Higuchi, a former world champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist, with a score of 11-1.

• Higuchi also secured a silver medal at the world championships last year.

• Sehrawat defeated Roberti Dingashvili of Georgia 11-1 in the quarter-finals. He won against Aryan Tsiutryn, the 2021 world championships bronze medallist, 14-4 in the semi-finals.

Key Points of Aman Sehrawat's Career:

• Sehrawat is the 2023 Asian champion and a 2022 Under-23 world champion.

• He is the only male wrestler from India participating in this tournament.

• The 20-year-old secured a Paris 2024 Olympics quota for India through the World Olympic Wrestling Qualifiers in Istanbul, Turkiye, last month.

Other Indian Competitors:

• Antim Panghal, Vinesh Phogat (50kg), and Anshu Malik (57kg) will compete in the Budapest ranking series over the next two days.

• Antim Panghal obtained India’s first wrestling quota for Paris 2024 at the world championships last year.

Tournament Significance:

• The tournament is the final wrestling ranking series before the Paris 2024 Olympics.

• Wrestlers will earn points to determine their rankings, which will influence the seeding at the upcoming Summer Games.

India’s Olympic Quotas:

• India has secured a total of six quotas for Paris 2024: five in women’s wrestling and one in men’s freestyle.

Sift Kaur Samra Wins Bronze in Women's 50m Rifle at ISSF World Cup

Tags: Sports

Sift Kaur Samra won a bronze medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3-Position event at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Munich.

An Overview of the News

• Sift scored 452.9, missing the silver medal by a narrow margin of 0.1 points to China’s Han Jiayu.

• The gold medal in the event was claimed by World No. 1 Seonaid Mcintosh of Great Britain with a score of 466.7.

• The competition concluded on 7 June, with India winning a total of two medals.

• Sarabjot Singh had previously won a gold medal in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol event.

About ISSF World Cup

• It was introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation in 1986.

• Its purpose is to provide a standardized system for qualification to the Olympic shooting competitions.

• The World Cup is still held in the Olympic shooting events.

• There are four competitions per year in each event.