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By admin: July 19, 2024

New Species of Dogfish Shark, Squalus hima, Discovered Off Kerala Coast

Tags: Environment State News

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of dogfish shark off the coast of Kerala. 

An Overview of the News

• Named Squalus Hima, this species was identified based on its unique characteristics, including the number of teeth, trunk and head heights, fin structure, and fin color. 

• The discovery was made from samples collected at a fishing harbor in Kerala near the Arabian Sea.

Characteristics and Significance

• Dogfish, a small shark species, are highly sought after for their fins, liver oil, and meat, often being caught as bycatch by fishermen. 

• The new species, Squalus hima, stands out due to its distinctive morphological features. 

• The discovery of this species underscores the rich marine biodiversity of the region and highlights the importance of preserving deep-sea ecosystems.

Research and Surveys

• A total of 13 specimens were collected from the southwest coast of India during surveys conducted up to 1000 meters along the coastline.

• These surveys, part of the Deep Ocean Mission conducted by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, aimed to understand the diversity of deep-sea sharks in the region. 

• The taxonomic re-evaluation of the genus Squalus in the Indo-Pacific and other regions has led to the discovery of many previously undescribed species, contributing significantly to marine biology.

About Kerala

• Capital - Thiruvananthapuram

• Chief minister - Pinarayi Vijayan

• Rajya Sabha    - 9 seats

• Lok Sabha - 20 seats

• Symbols of Kerala:-

  • Bird - Great hornbill

  • Flower - Golden shower tree

  • Fruit - Jackfruit

  • Mammal - Indian elephant

  • Tree - Coconut Tree

About Zoological Survey of India

• Founded - 1 July 1916

• Headquarters - Kolkata

• Director - Dr. Dhriti Banerjee

Additional Information:-

• The Vizhinjam Port in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, achieved a historic milestone with the arrival of its first container ship, 'San Fernando'.

• On 23rd June 2024, Kozhikode in north Kerala became India's first UNESCO "City of Literature."

• Thiruvananthapuram Airport Earns India's First Zero Waste to Landfill Accolade.

Suryakumar Yadav Named India’s T20I Captain

Tags: Sports Sports News

Suryakumar Yadav will captain the Indian T20 team in the three-match series against Sri Lanka, starting on the 27th of July.

An Overview of the News

• ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma will continue as ODI captain, with Virat Kohli also included in the squad for the 50-over series against Sri Lanka next month.

• Vice-Captain: Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain for both T20 and ODI formats.

T20I Squad

• Batsmen: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson

• All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube

• Bowlers: Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohd Siraj

ODI Squad

• New Faces: Riyan Parag, Harshit Rana

• Established Players: Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed

Argentina Tops FIFA Rankings as India Holds Steady at 124th Position

Tags: Sports Sports News

India has retained its 124th spot in the latest FIFA rankings.

An Overview of the News

• The team did not drop any places, following a previous decline of three spots in June due to a challenging 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

• India is ranked 22nd in Asia, behind Syria, Palestine, and Vietnam.

Top 10 Performers

• Argentina: Maintained the top spot in the rankings, solidifying their position with an unbeaten run to win the continental title.

• France: Remained in the second spot after reaching the semifinals of Euro 2024.

• Spain: Moved up five places to third following their victory as European champions.

• England: Advanced one place to fourth, surpassing Brazil.

• Brazil: Dropped to fifth place.

• Belgium: Fell three places to sixth, dropping out of the top five.

• Netherlands: Remained in seventh place.

• Portugal: Dropped two places to eighth.

• Colombia: Climbed three places to ninth despite a narrow loss to Argentina in the Copa America final, marking its return to the top 10.

• Italy Maintains Steady Position at 10th

FIFA Men's World Ranking

• FIFA Men's World Ranking: Ranks men's national football teams, with Argentina leading as of July 2024; introduced in December 1992.

• Top Teams: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain; Brazil has held the top spot longest.

• Points System: Teams are awarded points based on results of FIFA-recognized matches.

• Current System: Uses Elo rating system (adapted from chess and Go) since 16 August 2018.

• Sponsorship: Sponsored by Coca-Cola, hence the name FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.

Jammu and Kashmir Fencers Triumph at Commonwealth Championship with Silver and Bronze Medals

Tags: Sports

Jammu and Kashmir fencers won one silver and three bronze medals at the Commonwealth Fencing Championship in New Zealand.

An Overview of the News

Achievements at the Commonwealth Fencing Championship:

• Harshit Kohli: Silver medal in the Sabre team event

• Shreya Gupta: Bronze medal in the Sabre individual event

• Chhavi Sharma: Bronze medal in the Sabre team event

• Sufyan Waheed Sohil: Bronze medal in the Epee team event

Training Locations:

• Harshit Kohli and Chhavi Sharma: JKSC’s Khelo India State Centre of Excellence for Fencing

• Shreya Gupta: National Centre of Excellence, Gujarat

• Sufyan Waheed Sohil: Patiala

The Commonwealth Fencing Championships

• It is an event for the Commonwealth of Nations.

• It was established in 1974 after fencing was removed from the core sports of the Commonwealth Games.

• The Championships are held every four years, coinciding with the Commonwealth Games.

• They are organized by the Commonwealth Fencing Federation.

About New Zealand

Capital: Wellington

Monarch: Charles III

Governor-General: Cindy Kiro

Prime Minister: Christopher Luxon

Vinay Mohan Kwatra Appointed as India's Next Ambassador to the US

Tags: Person in news

Vinay Mohan Kwatra, a retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) diplomat, has been appointed as India's next Ambassador to the United States.

An Overview of the News

• The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the appointment in a statement on 19 July.

• Kwatra has extensive expertise in dealing with India's neighbourhood, as well as the US, China, and Europe.

• He served as the 34th Foreign Secretary of India from May 2022 until July 14, 2024, succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

• Kwatra previously held the positions of Ambassador of India to France and Nepal.

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) 

• It is a central civil service and diplomatic service of the Government of India.

• It operates under the Ministry of External Affairs.

• The head of the IFS is the Foreign Secretary.

• Vikram Misri is the 35th and current Foreign Secretary.

  • Formed - 9 October 1946

  • Headquarters - South Block, New Delhi

Yaël Braun-Pivet Re-Elected as Speaker of French National Assembly

Tags: Person in news International News

Yaël Braun-Pivet from Emmanuel Macron's centrist party has been re-elected as the speaker of the National Assembly in France with 220 votes.

An Overview of the News

• The election was closely contested, with veteran communist lawmaker André Chassaigne receiving 207 votes after three rounds of voting.

• The re-election follows recent elections that left no single group with a majority in the lower house of parliament.

• The National Assembly, France's influential lower house of parliament, convened to elect a speaker after chaotic snap elections called by President Emmanuel Macron resulted in a hung legislature.

National Assembly (France)

• The National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) is the lower house of the French Parliament.

• It operates under the Fifth Republic.

• The upper house is the Senate (Sénat).

• Legislators in the National Assembly are known as députés.

• "Député" means "delegate" or "envoy." The term is similar to "deputy" in other parliamentary systems.

• Founded - 4 October 1958

About France

President: Emmanuel Macron

Prime minister: Gabriel Attal

Capital: Paris

Currency : Euro

European Parliament approves Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission

Tags: Person in news International News

The European Parliament has approved Ursula von der Leyen's bid for a second five-year term as President of the European Commission.

An Overview of the News

• Von der Leyen received 401 votes in the 720-seat chamber, surpassing the majority required to maintain her position.

• In the secret ballot, 284 members voted against her.

• Von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament, outlining her priorities for the next five years.

• She committed to continuing the European Green Deal, aiming to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

• She pledged to reduce emissions by 90 percent by 2040.

• Substantial investments in infrastructure and industry, particularly in energy-intensive sectors, were announced.

• Von der Leyen also pledged to continue supporting Ukraine.

About Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen

• Leyen, born 8 October 1958, is a German politician.

• She has been the 13th president of the European Commission since 2019.

• Served in Angela Merkel's cabinet from 2005 to 2019, most recently as federal minister of defence.

• Member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the European People's Party (EPP).

• Elected as EPP's Spitzenkandidat for the 2024 European Parliament elections on 7 March 2024.

• Re-elected to head the Commission in July 2024.

Metsola Becomes First Female President to Secure Second Term in European Parliament

Tags: Person in news International News

Roberta Metsola was re-elected as President of the European Parliament on July 16, 2024, for another two and a half years, extending her term until 2027.

An Overview of the News

• Metsola became the first woman to win a second term as President of the European Parliament.

• Election Details: She secured 562 out of 699 votes, achieving an absolute majority in the first round and defeated Irene Montero, who received 61 votes.

Metsola's Background and Career:

• First Election: Elected as a member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2013, becoming one of Malta's first female MEPs.

• Re-elections: Re-elected as MEP in 2014 and 2019.

• Vice-Presidency: Became the first Maltese First Vice-President of the European Parliament in November 2020.

• Acting President: Served as acting President following the death of David Sassoli on January 11, 2022.

• Full Presidency: Elected as President on January 18, 2022, for the second half of the 9th legislative term.

• Past Presidents: Third woman to hold the position, following Simone Veil (1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999-2002).

Metsola's Roles and Contributions:

• Committee Work: Served as the EPP Group's Coordinator in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (2017-2020).

• Legislative Contributions: Was the Parliament's rapporteur on the European Border and Coastguard Regulation in 2019.

• Journalist Protection: Co-authored a report on protecting journalists in the EU from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.

About European Union (EU)

• EU Presidency (July-December 2024): Hungary

• European Council President: Charles Michel (until December 2024)

• European Commission President: Ursula von der Leyen

• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium