1. 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
2. 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
3. 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.
4. 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
5. Sumant Sinha Named Co-Chair of Global CEO Climate Leaders Alliance
Tags: Person in news
Sumant Sinha, Chairman and CEO of ReNew Energy Global PLC, has been appointed as co-chair of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders worldwide.
An Overview of the News
He has been serving as Co-Chair of the India chapter of the Alliance since 2022.
Founded by World Economic Forum (WEF): Launched in 2014, the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders is the largest CEO-led climate alliance globally.
Membership and Impact:
Comprises 130 CEOs from 12 industries across 26 countries.
Represents USD 4 trillion in revenues and 5.2 Gigatonnes (GT) of carbon emissions, approximately 10% of global emissions.
Objectives and Initiatives:
Purpose: To create a powerful network of business leaders committed to climate action.
Goals:
Set ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions.
Foster public-private collaboration in the global energy transition.
Key Figures and Collaborations:
Eminent Members: Includes leaders such as Ester Baiget (CEO of Novonesis) and Jesper Brodin (CEO of Ingka Group Ikea).
Strategic Leadership: Sinha's involvement includes being a founding member of the Forum's First Movers Coalition and serving as Board Chair of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in the USA.
6. Supreme Court Appoints Justice N Kotiswar Singh, First Judge from Manipur
Tags: Person in news
The Supreme Court of India is set to appoint two new judges: Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh and Justice R Mahadevan.
An Overview of the News
The SC Collegium recommended their elevation on July 1, highlighting the importance of diversity on the bench.
The Centre approved their elevation on July 16.
Justice N Kotiswar Singh:
Currently the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Originally from Manipur, he will be the first Supreme Court judge from Manipur.
He was set to retire on February 28, 2025, but will now serve in the Supreme Court until February 28, 2028 (retirement age is 65 for SC judges).
Oversaw key cases in Manipur, including intervention in the functioning of Manipur University during 2018 protests.
Justice R Mahadevan:
Justice R. Mahadevan, currently serving as a Judge at the Madras High Court, will assume office as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India upon assuming charge.
Judge at the Madras High Court since 2013 and currently its Acting Chief Justice.
Belongs to a backward community from Tamil Nadu.
This will be his first position outside the Madras High Court.
Part of a bench that set aside conditions on the RSS’ proposed statewide march in February 2023.
Once both Justices assume office, the Supreme Court will be at full strength with 34 judges.
7. Arun Kumar Bansal Appointed MD & CEO of Paytm Payments Bank
Tags: Person in news
Arun Kumar Bansal has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL).
An Overview of the News
His appointment follows the resignation of Surinder Chawla in April 2024.
Chawla's departure from PPBL was effective from June 26, 2024.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved Bansal's appointment on June 20, 2024.
Background of Arun Kumar Bansal:
Bansal previously served as the Executive Director (ED) and head of treasury (on contract), designated as Senior Management Personnel (SMP) at IDBI Bank Limited.
He resigned from IDBI Bank with effect from June 25, 2024. Bansal began his career at Indian Bank in 1991.
From 2020 to 2022, he held the positions of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and General Manager (GM) at Indian Bank.
He also served as a Non-Executive Director at Indbank Merchant Banking Services Limited from 2020 to 2022.Bansal joined IDBI Bank in June 2022.
He is associated with the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
Paytm Payments Bank:-
Founded in 2017, Paytm Payments Bank is headquartered in Noida, India.
It received its payments bank license from the Reserve Bank of India in 2017 and launched operations in November that year.
In 2021, it was granted scheduled bank status by the RBI.
Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
8. Vikram Misri Appointed India's Foreign Secretary
Tags: Person in news
Vikram Misri assumed charge as India's new Foreign Secretary, succeeding Vinay Kwatra.
An Overview of the News
Misri is a 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service officer with extensive diplomatic experience.
Misri previously served as Deputy National Security Advisor and played a crucial role in India-China relations post the Galwan Valley clashes.
He served as India's ambassador to China from 2019 to 2021, navigating challenging bilateral relations.
Misri has also held ambassadorial positions in Spain (2014-2016) and Myanmar (2016-2018).
His diplomatic career includes assignments in Pakistan, the US, Germany, Belgium, and Sri Lanka.
Notable Roles and Achievements:
Misri has the rare distinction of having served as private secretary to three Indian Prime Ministers.
He is regarded as an expert on China, contributing significantly to India's diplomatic strategies.
Misri's tenure as ambassador to China was marked by efforts to manage and improve bilateral ties amidst tensions.
He has navigated diverse foreign policy challenges in various diplomatic postings across the globe.
Known for his diplomatic acumen and strategic insights, Misri brings a wealth of experience to his new role as Foreign Secretary.
ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENTS:- |
|
9. KP Sharma Oli sworn in as Nepal PM
Tags: Person in news International News
KP Sharma Oli took oath as Nepal PM on 14 July.
An Overview of the News
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Shital Niwas, the main building of Rashtrapati Bhavan in Kathmandu at 10:45 am IST.
A group of ministers were also inducted into the Cabinet along with Oli.
Oli was appointed PM for the third time to lead the new coalition government.
He will replace Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, who lost the trust vote in the House of Representatives on 12 July.
Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Oli from the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML)-Nepali Congress (NC) alliance as the new PM.
Oli presented the signatures of 165 members of the House of Representatives - 77 of which were from his party and 88 from the NC.
About Nepal
The kingdom of Nepal was established by the Shah dynasty.
It is a landlocked country in South Asia.
President - Ram Chandra Paudel
Capital - Kathmandu
Currency - Nepalese Rupee
10. Gagan Narang Named Chef-de-Mission for Paris 2024 Olympics
Tags: Person in news
Gagan Narang, a four-time Olympian and 2012 Olympic Games bronze medalist, appointed as Chef-de-Mission for the Indian contingent at Paris 2024 Olympics.
An Overview of the News
Gagan Narang replaces MC Mary Kom in this crucial administrative role.
PV Sindhu, star shuttler and India's two-time Olympic medalist, selected as the female flag bearer.
Achanta Sharath Kamal, prominent table tennis player, chosen as the male flag bearer.
They will lead the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
Role of Chef-de-Mission
The Chef-de-Mission oversees athlete welfare, manages their needs, and coordinates with the organizing committee to ensure a smooth participation for the Indian contingent.
Indian Olympic Association
President: P. T. Usha
Founded: 1927.
Headquarters: New Delhi, India.
