1. PM Narendra Modi's visit to France and United Arab Emirates
Tags: International Relations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached France on the first leg of his official visit to France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13 to 15 July 2023. This is the sixth visit of Prime Minister Modi to France.
An Overview of the news:
- The Prime Minister is on a visit to Paris from 13-14 July 2023 at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
- The Prime Minister is the Chief Guest at the Bastille Day Parade on 14 July 2023, in which a contingent of the Indian Armed Forces from the three Services is also participating.
- During his visit, he will meet the Prime Minister of France as well as the Presidents of the French Senate and the National Assembly.
25th Anniversary of India-France Strategic Partnership:
- This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership and the Prime Minister's visit will provide an opportunity to chart out a roadmap for the future of the partnership in various areas such as strategic, cultural, scientific, educational and economic cooperation.
Travel to United Arab Emirates:
- The Prime Minister will visit Abu Dhabi on 15th July.
- The Prime Minister will hold talks with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
- The India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership continues to grow from strength to strength and the Prime Minister's visit will provide an opportunity to identify means of taking it forward in various sectors such as energy, education, healthcare, food security, fintech, defense and culture.
- The Prime Minister's visit to the UAE will also provide an opportunity to discuss establishing cooperation on global issues.
France:
- Capital: Paris
- Currency: Euro
- President: Emmanuel Macron
United Arab Emirates (UAE):
- Capital: Abu Dhabi
- Currency: UAE Dirham
- President: Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan;
2. World's largest International Temple Convention and Expo organized in Varanasi
Tags: National News
The world's largest International Temple Convention and Expo (ITCX) will be organized from 22 to 24 July 2023 at the Rudraksh Convention Center in Varanasi.
An Overview of the news:
- Conceived by Temple Connect (India), it is the world's first event solely dedicated to the management of temples.
- The conference will focus on nurturing and empowering the governance, management and operations of the world and temple ecosystem.
Conference Participation:
- More than 450 temple functionaries from 25 countries are expected to participate in the conference.
- Along with Hindus, office bearers of Math-Temples and Gurudwaras belonging to Sikh, Buddhist and Jainism have also been invited.
Launch of the conference:
- The conference will be inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on July 22.
- The event will be held at Rudraksh Convention Centre.
- For the first time, the International Temples Convention & Expo is being organized by Temple Connect.
Conference organized under Incredible India:
- The three-day event is being organized as part of the Incredible India campaign in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Tourism.
- In this, development, empowerment of temple management, operation and administration will be discussed.
- According to the founder of Temple Connect, best practices will be created for the teams of the leading places of worship in the world.
Theme of the conference:
- During this conference, the experience of pilgrims visiting temples, monasteries and gurudwaras will be asked, topics like crowd management, solid waste management and what should be improved in basic facilities will also be discussed.
- The conference will serve as a platform to introduce the world to India's rich heritage of places of worship, while learning about the diverse cultures, traditions, arts and crafts of places of worship around the world.
3. Operation Broader Sword: Indo-US joint initiative to stop illegal shipments
Tags: International News
In June 2023, India and the United States jointly launched 'Operation Broader Sword' with the goal of stopping the illegal transportation of pharmaceuticals, equipment and precursor chemicals through the International Mail System (IMS).
An Overview of the News
The operation was aimed at disrupting the flow of illegal substances entering the United States from India.
The operation primarily focused on packages entering the United States from India through the two major International Mail Facilities (IMF) located at New York (JFK International Airport) and Chicago (ORD International Airport).
During the operation, investigators thoroughly examined more than 1,500 shipments originating from India, and took conclusive action on nearly 500 products. These operations primarily targeted illegal drugs intended to treat serious illnesses.
Many of the shipments were found to contain opioids and other controlled substances, highlighting the importance of the operation in combating illegal drug trafficking.
Collaborative Effort:
Operation Broader Sword involved collaboration of multiple agencies from both countries. These include India's Department of Revenue Retail Investigation (DRI) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
4. IIT Delhi will open its international campus in Abu Dhabi (UAE)
Tags: International Relations
On 10 July 2023, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed that IIT Delhi is going to open its international campus in Abu Dhabi (UAE).
An Overview of the news:
- After IIT Madras, now IIT Delhi is also going to open its international campus outside the country in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).
- Earlier, IIT Madras had announced to set up its campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania. Whose work is likely to start from October this year.
Relations between the two countries will be further strengthened:
- This initiative will further strengthen the relations between the two countries.
- Meanwhile, IIT Delhi has also announced the inclusion of UAE school students in its Summer Boot Camp, in which talented school students from there will be able to work on their research and other innovations in IIT Delhi's lab.
- Currently, IIT Delhi conducts such summer boot camps only for Indian school students.
- During the event, Pradhan also handed over a set of books (magic box) designed for school children up to class three under the new National Education Policy (NEP) to UAE Minister of Education Sarah Musallam.
First campus of IIT Madras in Zanzibar-Tanzania:
- Prior to this announcement, IIT Madras had decided to open its campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania. Which will also start there from October this year.
- Like IIT Madras and Delhi, some other IITs of the country may also decide to open their international campuses soon.
5. Edgars Rinkevic becomes the first openly gay head of state of the European Union
Tags: International News
Latvia's former foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics achieved a historic feat as the first openly gay head of state in the European Union.
An Overview of the News
Following his role as Foreign Minister, Rinkevic was officially sworn in as President of Latvia.
Rinkewicz pledged to prioritise the fight for inclusion and equality during his presidency.
Rinkevics aims to use his limited powers to influence legislation and shape public opinion, with the goal of making Latvia a more inclusive and egalitarian country.
Rinkevics served as the Foreign Minister of Latvia from 2011 until his recent resignation.
In November 2014, Rinkewicz publicly came out as gay and became a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
Status of LGBTQ+ rights in Latvia
Latvia currently bans same-sex marriage, making it illegal within the country.
Latvia's constitutional court recognized same-sex unions last year, indicating progress toward legal recognition.
Latvia:
It is a country on the Baltic Sea, situated between Lithuania and Estonia.
The capital of Latvia is Riga, known for its remarkable woodwork and Art Nouveau architecture.
St. Peter's Church is a popular tourist destination in Riga's mediaeval Old Town.
Capital - Riga
Prime Minister - Krisjanis Karins
Official language - Latvian
6. India in 'Champions Group' of Global Crisis Resolution Group
Tags: International News
The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India informed on 7 July 2023 that India has been included in the “Champions Group” of the Global Crisis Resolution Group (GCRG).
An Overview of the news:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
- UN Secretary-General Guterres established the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) in March 2022 to address urgent and critical global issues such as food and energy security challenges.
Champions Group:
- Champions Group maintains GCRG.
- It includes the Heads of State and Government of Bangladesh, Barbados, Denmark, Germany, Indonesia and Senegal.
- According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the decision to join the grouping reflects India's growing global leadership and commitment to address current global challenges.
- India's participation will further strengthen the efforts of the United Nations in finding result-oriented solutions to development issues affecting the world, especially developing countries.
Sanjay Verma became the Sherpa of GCRG
- Sanjay Verma, who was Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been designated as the "Sherpa" for the GCRG process.
- According to the Ministry of External Affairs, these Sherpas will have an online meeting on July 14 and the Champions Group meeting will be held on July 21.
7. 'Ozone UV Bulletin' released by WMO
Tags: International News
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issues Ozone and UV bulletins at an interval of seven years. According to which the ozone layer is continuously improving.
An Overview of the news:
- To monitor and understand changes in the ozone layer, WMO has released its first Ozone and UV Bulletin.
- According to the information given by WMO, with the help of Montreal Protocol and amendments made from time to time, the use of substances that damage the ozone layer has been limited by 99 percent.
- The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty on the prevention of substances that deplete the ozone layer.
- It is designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out emissions of substances known to be responsible for depleting the ozone layer.
International Initiative for the Protection of the Ozone Layer:
- The 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer provided a framework for international cooperation on ozone protection.
- The Montreal Protocol which was adopted in the year 1987 is a worldwide agreement to stop the production of ozone-depleting substances.
- The Montreal Protocol has been signed by 197 parties of the world.
8. India and Panama agree on electoral cooperation
Tags: International Relations
On 7th July 2023, The Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Electoral Tribunal (ET) of Panama signed an MoU on Electoral Cooperation.
An Overview of the news:
- Under this agreement, both the countries will set up an institutional framework for ongoing cooperation in the field of election management and administration.
- A three-member Election Commission delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajeev Kumar met with Alfredo Junca Vendheke, Presiding Magistrate of the Electoral Tribunal of Panama, to strengthen cooperation and exchange of knowledge between the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of the two countries. discussed.
- This MoU reflects the commitment of the Election Commission to engage with election bodies around the world and strengthen democratic processes.
- The Election Commission is expanding its connectivity and collaboration with foreign Election Management Bodies (EMBs) through the 'International Cooperation Programme'.
Fourth agreement of ECI with Latin American countries:
- After signing MoUs with Mexico, Brazil and Chile in the past few years, this is the fourth MoU signed with an election management body in the Latin America region.
- ECI has so far signed a total of 31 MoUs with election management bodies and international organizations across the globe.
Mutual cooperation by both the countries:
- Both the Election Commission of India and the Electoral Tribunal of Panama are members of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB).
- ET of Panama officials also participated in the International Conference on 'Inclusive Elections and Electoral Integrity' organized by the ECI in March 2023.
- It was a part of the operation of 'Cohort on Elections Integrity' under the aegis of 'Summit for Democracy'.
- Officials from the Electoral Tribunal of Panama also participated in the 'International Election Visitors Program' organized by the ECI during the state assembly elections in April 2021.
Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB):
- A-WEB is the largest association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide.
- A-WEB has 119 election management bodies as members and 20 regional associations/organizations as associate members.
- The ECI delegation will participate in the 11th Executive Board Meeting of A-WEB and an International Conference in Cartagena, Colombia.
9. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's four-day visit to Tanzania
Tags: International Relations
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar went on a four-day official visit to Tanzania from 5 to 8 July 2023.
An Overview of the news:
- During his visit, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar attended the reception of Indian Naval Ship Trishul.
- Along with this, he also addressed the Indian expatriates and inaugurated the statue of Swami Vivekananda.
- In Zanzibar, he visited a water supply project funded by a line of credit from the Government of India.
10th India-Tanzania Joint Commission:
- The External Affairs Minister then visited the Tanzanian city of Dar-es-Salaam from 7-8 July 2023, where he co-chaired the 10th India-Tanzania Joint Commission Meeting with his counterpart.
IIT Madras at Zanzibar:
- To strengthen education ties between the two countries, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will open its first overseas campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania in October 2023.
- It will admit 50 undergraduate students and 20 master's students.
- The new IIT campus will be set up in Zanzibar under the name of IIT Madras at Zanzibar.
- Along with this, IIT will also open its other foreign campus in Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur.
About Tanzania
- It is an East African country.
- Serengeti National Park is a popular safari destination in Tanzania.
- Kilimanjaro National Park is located in Tanzania.
- Zanzibar is a tropical island off the coast of Tanzania.
- Mafia is another tropical island in Tanzania.
Capital - Dodoma
Currency - Tanzanian Shilling
President - Samia Suluhu Hasan
Vice President - Philip Mpango
Prime Minister - Kassim Majaliwa
Speaker - Tulia Axon
Chief Justice - Ibrahim Hamis Zuma
10. 67th TAAI Conference begins in Colombo
Tags: International News
The three-day much-awaited 67th Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) convention began in Colombo on 6th July.
An Overview of the News
The 67th TAAI Convention began with a star-studded opening ceremony.
Special guests include Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay.
Business opportunities for Indian and Sri Lankan travel industry stakeholders:
The conference provides valuable business opportunities for stakeholders in the Indian and Sri Lankan travel industries.
It serves as a platform to promote business partnership and cooperation between the two countries.
A major itinerary in the area:
The 67th TAAI convention cements its position as a premier travel event in the region.
With 500 participants and 50 Indian media personnel, the conference attracts a large number of industry professionals.
Thought provoking sessions on various topics:
The agenda of the conference includes thought-provoking sessions on a wide range of topics.
Topics of discussion included India's tourism vision for 2047, experiential travel, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), and digital opportunities in the travel industry.
Knowledge Exchange and Partnership Building:
Industry leaders and travel professionals from India and Sri Lanka get an opportunity to exchange knowledge during the conference.
The event facilitates networking and partnership building among attendees.
Strengthening ties between India and Sri Lanka:
The objective of the TAAI Convention is to strengthen the ties between India and Sri Lanka.
It serves as a platform to enhance bilateral relations and promote mutual development in the tourism industry.
India largest source market for tourism to Sri Lanka:
India was the largest source market for tourism to Sri Lanka last year.
This highlights the importance of cooperation and collaboration between India and Sri Lanka in the travel industry.
