1. 2023: Global Military Spending Peaks at $2443bn; US Leads, India 4th: SIPRI Report
Tags: Reports Economics/Business
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published its 'Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2023' report on April 22, 2024.
An Overview of the News
Global military expenditure reached an unprecedented USD 2443 billion in 2023, marking the ninth consecutive year of increase.
This surge represents a notable 6.8% rise in real terms from the previous year, the most substantial year-on-year increase since 2009.
The top five countries contributing to this expenditure in 2023 were the United States of America (USA), China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia, collectively responsible for 61% of the world's military spending.
India secured the fourth position among global military spenders in 2023, with a total expenditure of USD 83.6 billion. This figure reflects a 4.2% increase from 2022 and a substantial 44% rise from 2014.
In 2023, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members, including the USA, contributed a combined total of USD 1341 billion to global military spending, comprising approximately 55% of the overall expenditure.
SIPRI:
It provides data, analysis and recommendations on armed conflicts, military spending and arms trade.
SIPRI also focuses on disarmament and arms control.
Its function is to contribute to global peace and security initiatives.
Headquarters - Solna
Founded - 6 May 1966
Director - Dan Smith
Chair - Stefan Löfven
Founders - Tage Erlander, Alva Myrdal
2. World Asteroid Day - 30 June
Tags: Important Days
World Asteroid Day is an annual global event observed on June 30 to commemorate the Tunguska event of 1908, in which a meteor airburst caused significant destruction in central Siberia, Russia.
An overview of the news
The Tunguska event is recognized as the Earth's largest recorded asteroid impact, resulting in the devastation of approximately 2,000 square kilometers (500,000 acres) of pine forest.
The primary objective of World Asteroid Day is to raise public awareness about the potential hazards posed by asteroid impacts and to inform people about crisis communication strategies in the event of a threat from a near-Earth object (NEO).
NEOs are asteroids or comets that come close to Earth's orbit. NASA's Center for NEO Studies has discovered over 16,000 Near Earth Asteroids.
Background of the day
The cofounders of Asteroid Day, including renowned cosmologist Stephen Hawking, Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, and astrophysicist Brian May, established the event in 2014, one year after the Chelyabinsk meteor air burst incident.
The Chelyabinsk event occurred on February 15, 2013, when a large fireball entered the atmosphere, disintegrating over Chelyabinsk, Russia.
The asteroid responsible was estimated to have a diameter of 18 meters and a mass of 11,000 tons, with an impact energy of 440 kilotons.
In December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating June 30 as World Asteroid Day.
The purpose of the event is to increase awareness about asteroids and the measures that can be taken to safeguard the Earth, its inhabitants, communities, and future generations from potential catastrophic events.
What are Asteroids?
Asteroids are celestial bodies that orbit the Sun and are remnants from the early stages of the solar system's formation, which occurred around 4.6 billion years ago.
Unlike planets, asteroids are relatively small in size and vary greatly in shape and composition.
Each asteroid possesses a unique and irregular shape.
The majority of asteroids are composed of various types of rocks, while some may contain clays or metallic elements like nickel and iron.
The solar system is home to a significant number of asteroids, and many of them reside in the main asteroid belt, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
The main asteroid belt is a region where asteroids of various sizes and compositions are concentrated, forming a vast and dynamic collection.
The sizes of asteroids in the main belt range from tiny rocky fragments to larger bodies measuring hundreds of kilometers in diameter.
As asteroids orbit the Sun, they follow their own distinct paths and trajectories, influenced by gravitational forces from nearby celestial bodies.
3. Ireland becomes first country to introduce comprehensive health labelling of alcohol products
Tags: International News
Ireland has become the first country in the European Union to implement comprehensive health labelling on alcohol products.
An Overview of the News
- Its purpose is to provide information to consumers about the health risks associated with the consumption of alcohol.
- The Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) Regulations 2023 and the remaining provisions of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act of Ireland were signed into law by Stephen Donnelly, Minister for Health, on 22 May 2023.
- Regulations require alcohol product labels in Ireland to include key information such as calorie content and grams of alcohol.
- The labels will prominently display warnings about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, as well as the dangers of liver disease and alcohol-related cancers.
- The introduction of comprehensive labelling enables consumers to make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption.
World Health Organization (WHO)
- The World Health Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations that was established on April 7, 1948.
- Every year 7th April is celebrated as "World Health Day".
Headquarters - Geneva, Switzerland
Director General - Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia
4. Ireland to become the first country in the world to introduce health warnings on alcohol
Tags: International News
Ireland's health minister, Stephen Donnelly, signed new regulations on May 22 that will carry warnings about the health risks of drinking alcohol, as well as the product's calorie count.
An overview of the news
This innovative step aims to raise awareness about the potential health risks associated with alcohol consumption.
The introduction of health warnings on alcohol bottles and cans will serve as a powerful tool for public health promotion and education.
The warnings will provide concise information about the health hazards linked to excessive alcohol consumption, encouraging individuals to make informed decisions.
Health warnings include liver disease, heart problems, increased risk of cancer, mental health problems and other associated risks.
By emphasizing the risks and potential harms associated with alcohol consumption on alcohol packaging, youth can be deterred from drinking at an early age.
Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland is a western European country which shares a boundary with Great Britain.
The Parliament of Ireland is called the Oireachtas. The lower house of the parliament is called Dail and the upper house is called Seanad Éireann (Senate).
President of Ireland: Michael D. Higgins
Currency: Euro
Capital: Dublin
5. Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande embarks on 4-day official visit to France
Tags: Defence Person in news
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande left on a 4 day (14-17 November) official visit to France on 14 November 2022. General Pande will hold a meeting with his French counterparts and senior military leadership with the aim to strengthen defence ties between the two nations.
His visit is aimed to give impetus to the ever growing Indo-French defence ties. During his visit he will lay a wreath at Neuve Chapelle Indian Memorial, which commemorates the sacrifices of 4,742 Indian soldiers during the First World War.
Earlier on November 7, Army Chief General Manoj Pande held a meeting with French Chief of Staff of Air and Space Force, General Stephane Mille. During the meeting, both sides discussed various aspects of defence cooperation between France and India.
The seventh edition of the bilateral exercise between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force,' Exercise Garuda-VII' concluded at Air Force Station in Jodhpur on 12 November 2022.
General Manoj Pande is the 29th Chief of Army Staff in India .He is the first officer from the Corps of Engineers to become the Chief of Army.
6. Indian Air Force chief and French Air Force chief participates in the Garuda VII exercise
Tags: place in news Defence
The Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, and Chief of the Air Staff of French Air and Space Force (FASF) General Stéphane Mille flew aircraft in the ongoing Garuda VII exercise being held at Jodhpur on 8 November 2022.
The 7th 'Garuda VIl' exercise is being held from 26 October to 12 November 2022 at Air Force Station Jodhpur.
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari flew the French made Rafale fighter plane while General Stéphane Mille flew the Indian Su-30MKI fighter.
For the first time the indigenous LCA Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand is participating in an international military exercise.
Apart from the LCA and LCH, the IAF contingent consists of Su-30 MKI, Rafale and Jaguar fighter aircraft, as well as Mi-17 helicopters. The IAF contingent also includes Combat Enabling Assets like Flight Refuelling Aircraft, AWACS, AEW&C and Garud Special Forces.
Four French Air Force Rafale fighters and one A-330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft are participating in the exercise.
7. Filmfare Awards 2022 : Ranveer Singh bags Best Actor, Kriti Sanon wins Best Actress
Tags: Awards
The 67th Filmfare Awards for 2022 were given out on 30 August in Mumbai.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh won the Best Actor in a Lead Role (Male) award for his cricket drama 83, while Kriti Sanon won the Best Actress in a Lead Role (Female) award for Mimi.
Before Filmfare, Ranveer was awarded the Best Actor award for his performance in 83 at The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2022.
The story of Kabir Khan's film 83 is based on India's historic 1983 Cricket World Cup victory.
In the film, Ranveer plays the role of Kapil Dev, the captain of the World Cup winning team.
Kriti Sanon was awarded for her performance in Mimi, which was released in 2021.
In Mimi, Kriti plays a surrogate mother. The film is directed by Laxman Utekar.
Kriti won the first Best Actress award of her career at the 22nd International Indian Film Academy Awards in Abu Dhabi in May 2022.
List of winners :
Best Actor - Ranveer Singh for 83
Best Actress - Kriti Sanon for Mimi
Best Actor (Critics Choice) - Vicky Kaushal for Sardar Udham
Best Actress (Critics Choice) - Vidya Balan for Sherni
Best Director : Vishnuvardhan for Shershaah
Best Film (Popular Category) - Shershaah
Best Film (Critics Choice) - Sardar Udham
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) - Pankaj Tripathi for Mimi
Best Actor in Supporting Role (Female) - Sai Tamhankar for Mimi
Best Story - Abhishek Kapoor, Supratik Sen and Tushar Paranjape for Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui
Best Dialogue - Dibakar Banerjee and Varun Grover for Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar
Best Screenplay - Shubhendu Bhattacharya and Ritesh Shah for Sardar Udham
Best Original Story - Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui
Best Debut Male - Ehan Bhat for 99 songs
Best Debut Female - Sharwari Wagh for Bunty Aur Babli 2
Best Debut Director - Seema Pahwa for Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi
Best Music Album - Tanishk Bagchi, B Praak, Jaani, Jasleen Royal, Javed-Mohsin, Vikram Montrose for Shershaah
Best Lyrics - Kausar Munir for Lehra Do ('83)
Best Playback Singer (Male) - B Praak for Mann Bharryaa 2.0 (Shershaah)
Best Playback Singer (Female) - Asees Kaur for Raataan Lambiyan (Shershaah)
Best Action - Shershaah (Stefan Richter and Suniel Rodrigues)
8. Lionel Messi named Forbes highest-paid athlete 2022
Tags: Sports News
According to Forbes, football star Lionel Messi topped the list with a net worth of $130 million (Rs 1007 crore).
Messi earned $75 million from sports and $55 million from sponsorship deals, out of a total of $130 million (Rs 1394 crore).
Basketball player, LeBron James is at the second position with USD 121.2 million, while Cristiano Ronaldo is at the third position in the list with USD 115 million.
Estimates are calculated by Forbes based on prize money, salary and bonuses and sponsorship deals.
Virat Kohli is the only Indian player in this list who earned around Rs 262 crore last year, out of which Rs 22 crore has been earned from salary and the rest 240 crore from advertisements.
Top 10 list -
Lionel Messi (football): $130 million
LeBron James (basketball): $121.2 million
Cristiano Ronaldo (football): $115 million
Neymar (football): $95 million
Stephen Curry (basketball): $92.8 million
Kevin Durant (basketball): $92.1 million
Roger Federer (tennis): $90.7 million
Canelo Alvarez (boxing): $90 million
Tom Brady (football): $83.9 million
Giannis Antetokounmpo (basketball): $80.9 million
