1. Germany and Britain intercepted three Russian military reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea
Tags: International News
The German Air Force on 26th April announced that it intercepted three Russian military aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea.
An overview of the news
Germany and UK Eurofighter have been alerted to identify 3 military machines.
The two SU-27 flankers and one IL-20 from Russia flew again without a transponder signal in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
German and British forces were deployed to identify the two Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft and one Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft.
Germany handed over responsibility for NATO’s Baltic air policing mission to Britain earlier this month.
About the Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean located in northern Europe.
It is a shelf sea and marginal sea of the Atlantic, with limited water exchange between the two, making it an inland sea.
The Baltic Sea is one of the largest brackish inland seas by area.
It is bordered by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North and Central European Plain.
The maximum depth is 459 m (1,506 ft).
The Helsinki Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Region covers the Baltic Sea.
2. India-UK NET Zero Innovation virtual centre
Tags: Environment International News
India and the United Kingdom have agreed to create an India-UK Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre.
An overview of the news
The center will provide a platform for stakeholders from both countries to work together in areas such as manufacturing processes, transportation systems and decarbonization of green hydrogen as a renewable source.
This was announced by Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh at a meeting of the India-UK Science and Innovation Council meeting in the presence of United Kingdom Minister George Freeman.
India is fast marching towards becoming an economic powerhouse driven by its extraordinary technology and innovation.
India is committed to achieve its climate change and environment goals within the stipulated time period.
Energy efficiency and renewable energy are the central pillars, where India has already taken the lead through various initiatives like Solar Alliance and Clean Energy Mission.
Dr Jitendra Singh is leading a high-level official Indian delegation from the Ministry of Science and Technology on a six-day visit to the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom
The inclusion of Northern Ireland in Great Britain is called the United Kingdom.
That is, the United Kingdom is a kingdom consisting ofEngland, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Queen of England is the head of both the United Kingdom/Britain.
The capital of the United Kingdom/Great Britain is London.
3. Pennsylvania Recognizes Diwali as an Official State Holiday
Tags: International News
The United States state of Pennsylvania officially recognized the Hindu festival of Diwali as a state holiday.
An Overview of the News
State Senators Greg Rothman and Nikil Saval introduced legislation to make Diwali a state holiday in February this year.
The bill was passed unanimously by the Senate. According to My Twin Tears, there are approximately 200,000 South Asian residents in Pennsylvania, many of whom celebrate Diwali as a time to gather and reflect.
Pennsylvania:
It is a state located in the northeastern region of the United States of America.
It is one of the original 13 colonies that declared independence from Great Britain and became a kingdom on December 12, 1787.
The state's capital is Harrisburg, and its largest city is Philadelphia, which is known as the birthplace of the United States of America.
Pennsylvania is bordered by six other states, including New York to the north, New Jersey to the east, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, and Lake Erie to the northwest.
The state has a diverse geography, including the Appalachian Mountains in the central and eastern parts of the state, the Allegheny Plateau in the western part of the state, and a coastal plain in the southeastern part of the state.
4. WHO issues alert over India-made cough syrup Guaifenesin
Tags: International News
The WHO has issued a red alert due to "unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol" in the tested samples of Guaifenesin TG syrup manufactured by Punjab-based QP Pharmachem Ltd.
An overview of the news
The World Health Organization has said that a consignment of this contaminated cough syrup made in India has been found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
Guaifenesin is used to relieve the symptoms of cough and tightness in the chest.
Samples of Guaifenesin Syrup TG Syrup from the Marshall Islands were analyzed and it was found that the product contained unacceptable amounts of Diethylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol as contaminants.
Ingestion of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol aretoxic to humans, and can prove fatal.
The latest alert comes months after the WHO linked another cough syrup made in India to child deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan.
India is the world's largest exporter of generic drugs, which meet most of the medical needs of developing countries.
But in recent months, several Indian companies have come under scrutiny for the quality of their drugs, with experts raising concerns about the manufacturing practices used to make these drugs.
5. Australia to host third in-person Quad summit
Tags: Summits International News
Australia will host thethird in-person Quad summit in Sydney on 24 May.
An Overview of the News
The Quad Summit will be attended by the leaders of the four member countries –US President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The Quad summit is a meeting between the leaders of four countries: the United States, Japan, India, and Australia.
The Quad was first established as a strategic dialogue in 2007, but remained dormant for several years until it was revived in 2017.
The Quad Summit, to be held in Washington DC in September 2021, was the first in-person meeting of the Quad leaders.
The agenda of the Quad summit focused on four key areas: COVID-19 vaccine delivery, climate change, critical and emerging technologies and regional security.
The Quad leaders announced a new initiative to boost COVID-19 vaccine production in India with a target of distributing one billion doses to the Asia-Pacific region by the end of 2022.
On the subject of climate change, the Quad leaders pledged to work together to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
About Australia
It is a sovereign country located in the Southern Hemisphere and is geographically isolated from the rest of the world.
Capital - Canberra
Government -federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Emperor - Charles III
Governor-General - David Hurley
Prime Minister - Anthony Albanese
6. 11th High Level Meeting between Indian Coast Guard and Korean Coast Guard
Tags: Defence International News
The 11th high level meeting between the Indian Coast Guard and the Korean Coast Guard was held in New Delhi on 25 April.
An overview of the news
A seven-member delegation of the Korean Coast Guard held a meeting with theIndian Coast Guard.
Both sides discussed ways to strengthen the existing relationship in accordance with the provisions of the MoU to share best practices, conduct joint exercises and enhance training cooperation.
The high-level meeting between the two Coast Guards was held under the provisions of the MoU signed in 2006.
The high level meeting focused on enhancing operational level interactions and capacity building in the areas of maritime search and rescue, marine pollution response and maritime law enforcement.
About South Korea
South Korea is a country located in East Asia that is known as the 'Land of Quiet Mornings'.
The Korean peninsula was divided into communist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Republic of Korea (South Korea) after the Korean War in 1953.
The nation's capital, Seoul, is the world's second largest metropolitan area and a major global city.
Martial arts Taekwondo originated in Korea.
President- Yoon Suk-yol
Currency- South Korean won
7. 4th India-Mozambique Joint Defence Working Group meeting
Tags: International Relations International News
The fourth meeting of the India-Mozambique Joint Defense Working Group was held in New Delhi on 25 April.
An overview of the news
The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defense and Casimiro Augusto Muio, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Defense of Mozambique.
Both sides discussed a wide range of issues including military training, exercises, medicine and capacity building with a view to deepening defense ties.
The Indian side highlighted the country's growing capabilities in the field of defense production and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral military ties.
The Mozambican side held separate talks with representatives of the defense industry.
The Indian side assured Mozambique of India's continued support and commitment to a strong bilateral defense relationship.
About Mozambique
Mozambique is a central African nation.
India has sent food and defence equipment to under Mission Sagar.
It was delivered at Port Maputo of Mozambique.
Capital: Maputo
President: Philippe Nyusi
Prime Minister: Carlos Agostinho do Rosário
Currency:Mozambican metical (MZN)
Joint Maritime Exercise among the Indian, Mozambique and Tanzanian navies - India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise (IMT TRILAT).
8. "Locked Shields" cyber-defense exercise 2023 to be held by NATO in Tallinn
Tags: Defence International News
The 2023 edition of the annual exercise "Locked Shields" was hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in Tallinn (Estonia).
An Overview of the News
"Locked Shields" is an annual cyber defence exercise hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in Tallinn. The exercise started on 18 April 2023.
More than 3000 participants from 38 countries including NATO alliesand partners took part in the exercise.
The exercise simulates real-time attacks and tests strategic decision making in critical situations.
The exercise highlights the importance of international collaboration and cooperation in the field of cyber defence.
The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence helps participating countries and organisations improve their cyber defence capabilities.
About Locked Shields
It is an annual cyber defence exercise that simulates a large-scale cyber incident.
Rapid Reaction Teams from different countries work together to assist a fictional nation in managing a massive cyber attack.
Blue Teams made up of CCDCOE member nations protect the mock state's information systems and critical infrastructure from thousands of attacks.
The aim of the exercise is to improve the skills and capabilities of the participating teams and enhance international cooperation and communication in cyber defence.
The exercise includes both defensive and offensive operations, with Red Teams simulating attacks and Blue Teams defending.
About the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Established -4 April 1949
Founders -United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy
Headquarters - Brussels, Belgium
Secretary General - Jens Stoltenberg
9. India, Guyana sign Air Services Agreement
Tags: International Relations International News
India and Guyana signed an Air Services Agreement (ASA) on 22nd April to facilitate easier travel between the two nations.
An overview of the news
The agreement was signed between Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill and India's High Commissioner to Guyana KJ Srinivas in the presence of External Affairs MinisterS Jaishankar, who is on a 3-day visit to Guyana.
The agreement's signing is consistent with the government's objective to establish ties between Guyana and the rest of the world.
It will also complement the more than 50 air service agreements Guyana has negotiated with other ICAO governments for the advancement of interstate air travel.
The agreement encourages the development of international air services between the two countries and the global airline market.
What is an Air Services Agreement?
Air Services Agreement (ASA) provides the legal framework for air operations between two countries.
It is based on the sovereignty of the nations, the nationality of the carriers and the commercial opportunity for each side's designated airlines.
Prior to this there was no Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of Guyana.
About Guyana
Prime Minister: Mark Phillips
President: Mohamed Irfaan Ali
Capital:Georgetown
Currency : Guyanese dollar (G$)
10. 4th India-CARICOM Ministerial meeting
Tags: International News
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the 4th India-CARICOM ministerial meeting in Guyana’s capital of Georgetown on 22nd April.
An overview of the news
S Jaishankar co-chaired the meeting with his Jamaican counterpart Kaminaj Smith.
Both leaders discussed a range of issues, including trade, climate change and counterterrorism.
During the bilateral meetings, the minister spoke on various issues including cooperation, trade, climate change, digital transformation, health domain, agriculture and expansion of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The Minister also met the Bahamas Parliamentary Secretary Jamahl Strachan, an Indian alumnus and discussed the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) as well as UNSC reforms.
Jaishankar began his nine-day trip to Guyana, Panama, Colombia and the Dominican Republic on 21st April by meeting his counterpart from Surinam Albert Ramdin.
What is CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Commons Market)?
CARICOM is an intergovernmental organisation that is a political and economic union of 15 member states throughout the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean.
Its main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy.
It was established in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
About Guyana
Prime Minister: Mark Phillips
President: Mohamed Irfaan Ali
Capital: Georgetown
Currency : Guyanese dollar (G$)
