Israeli Parliament Clears Bill to Curtail SC Powers
The Israeli Parliament approved the contentious reasonableness law that prevents judicial checks on political power after weeks of unprecedented protests that crippled the country.
The Bill passed with 64 votes in favour and zero against it, with opposition boycotting the final vote on the Bill in protest. It is the first major Bill to pass in the government's judicial overhaul.
Multiple last-minute attempts within the Knesset to amend the Bill or to come to a broader procedural compromise with the opposition failed.
Hun Sen's Ruling Party Claims Landslide Win in Cambodian Election
The ruling party of Cambodia's long time Prime Minister Hun Sen claimed a landslide victory in the general election, an outcome that was virtually assured after the suppression and intimidation of the opposition in a vote called a farce of democracy.
The European Union, the United States and other Western countries had refused to send observers to the polls, saying the election lacked the conditions to be considered free and fair.
The longest-serving leader in Asia, Hun Sen has steadily consolidated power with strong-arm tactics over the last 38 years. But, at age 70, he has suggested he will hand off the premiership during the upcoming five-year term to his oldest son, Hun Manet, perhaps as early as the first month after the elections.
Thani Al Zeyoudi Elected as Chair of WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference
Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, was elected as the chair of the World Trade Organisation's 13th Ministerial Conference that will be held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024.
The announcement was made during the WTO general council in Geneva, where Al Zeyoudi met with the WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The conference will be attended by representatives from the 164 countries and customs blocs that make up the WTO.
It will review the performance of the trading system, make decisions on future work and set up the road map for the next conference.
PFC Becomes First Member from India to Join Asia Transition Finance Study Group
Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) became the first Indian participant in the Asia Transition Finance Study Group (ATFSG), an initiative spearheaded by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to promote sustainable transition finance in Asian countries. By becoming a part of this initiative, PFC will not only contribute India's perspective but also collaborate on devising policy considerations to facilitate efficient energy transition financing.
This significant step was taken in the presence of Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, R. K. Singh, and His Excellency Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan during the Bilateral Ministerial Meeting held on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Goa. The collaboration is aimed at fostering cooperation among Asian countries to advance financing for Energy Transition and Net Zero objectives.
ATFSG was launched in October 2021, by private financial institutions, with the clear aim of presenting and disseminating the concept of Asian transition finance, building upon the principles outlined in the Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI). Japan's Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI) was launched to help countries in the Asia-Pacific region achieve net-zero emissions.
ReNew Makes Strategic Appointments to its Independent Board of Directors
ReNew Energy Global Plc, a renewable energy company in India, appointed three new non-executive independent directors to its board. The new members are Paula Gold-Williams, Nicoletta Giadrossi, and Philip Graham New, and their appointments are effective from August 23, 2023, subject to approval by the company's shareholders at the annual general meeting.
One of ReNew's primary goals is to promote diversity and inclusion, and the addition of more women directors to the board is a significant step in this direction. The company is committed to maintaining a majority of independent directors on its board.
ITC Becomes the most-valued FMCG Stock after 4 Years
ITC, the cigarettes-to-hotels conglomerate surpassed Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and became the most-valuable fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) stock after a gap of more than four years.
ITC, last week, joined the elite group of companies having market valuation in excess of Rs. 6 trillion. After surpassing HUL in market capitalisation (market cap) ranking, ITC entered into top five most valuable companies list with a market cap of Rs. 6.14 trillion. With Rs. 6.09 trillion market cap HUL slipped to sixth position in the overall ranking.
Jindal Aluminium Ltd received a special certification called AS 9100D Aerospace. This certification recognises the company as a qualified manufacturer for the aviation, space, and defence industry.
The aerospace & defence industry places a strong emphasis on safety and quality. Standardisation and thorough research are essential factors in this sector. For a company to supply materials to aerospace & defence companies or partners, they need to meet certain prerequisites.
The AS9100D certification is a global recognition of Jindal Aluminium standards and practices, making it a significant achievement.
This certification was developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the European Association of Aerospace Industries and has become a benchmark for ensuring exceptional quality in aviation, space, and defence manufacturing and supply chain processes.
To earn this certification, Jindal Aluminium went through a two-stage audit process conducted by M/s NVT Services, an aerospace certification agency in India, over the course of six months (from January to June).
Elon Musk, owner of Twitter launched the new logo of Twitter 'X' by replacing the iconic bird logo. The 'X' logo was in the pipeline for a while with Musk's strong want of an 'everything app'. Before he bought Twitter for $44 billion, Musk described the platform as an accelerant to creating 'X', the 'everything app'.
This rebranding of Twitter is not just an aesthetic exercise. 'X' logo is a part of a larger effort to convert Twitter into an 'everything app', based on China's WeChat, that allows users to do everything from making payments to hotel bookings.
AST SpaceMobile Opens Research Centre in Hyderabad's Sattva Knowledge City
AST SpaceMobile, a company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, opened a new research and development (R&D) services hub and space technology development centre in Hyderabad.
The state-of-the-art facility will focus on next-generation hardware, software, space-related technologies and operations. Narayana Pidugu, a veteran of the technology and space industries, will direct the new facility as general manager and vice president of global R&D services. Vodafone, Rakuten, American Tower, Samsung NEXT and Bell Canada are also investors in AST SpaceMobile.
Kamaljeet helped India pick up two more gold medals on the final day of ISSF Junior World Championship in Changwon, South Korea, as he won both the men's 50m pistol individual and team.
India thus, finished second behind China with 17 medals, six gold, six silver and five bronze. China won 28 medals.
Karman Clinches Her Second W60 ITF Title
India's Karman Kaur Thandi clinched her second W60 ITF title of her career after winning at the Evansville Open in USA.
Karman overcame a strong challenge from Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine before winning 7-5 4-6 6-1 to secure her second singles crown at an ITF women's world tour $60,000 tournament on Sunday. With this win, Karman becomes the only Indian woman after Sania Mirza to win a pro title in the USA.
Karman had won her maiden W60 ITF title in Saguenay in 2022. Overall, this was her fourth career title.
Fifth Helicopter & Small Aircraft Summit at Khajuraho, MP
The 5th Helicopter & Small Aircraft Summit was held at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Pawan Hans Ltd., and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
The Summit's theme, 'Reaching the Last Mile: Regional Connectivity through Helicopters & Small Aircraft', underscored its mission to explore ways to enhance India's transportation ecosystem by leveraging the potential of helicopters and small aircraft. The Summit was inaugurated by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation & Steel.
One of the primary objectives of the Summit was to provide a common platform for industry stakeholders and policymakers to discuss the growth story of the Indian Helicopter and Small Aircraft industry. Helicopters and small aircrafts have emerged as critical players in improving accessibility, particularly in remote and hilly terrains. By facilitating smoother transportation, these aircrafts can connect regions that were previously inaccessible and contribute to the nation's overall development.
Naveen Patnaik Becomes 2nd Longest-Serving CM in Indian History
Odisha's Naveen Patnaik became the second longest-serving Chief Minister in the country, replacing West Bengal's Jyoti Basu.
Former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling still holds the record of being the longest-serving Chief Minister in the country. He was the Chief Minister of the Himalayan state from December 12, 1994 till May 27, 2019 -- more than 24 years.
Patnaik, the five-time chief minister of Odisha, took charge on March 5, 2000, and holds the post for 23 years and 138 days.
Basu served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from June 21, 1977 to November 5, 2000, which was 23 years and 137 days.
Veteran actor Jayant Savarkar, known for his work in Marathi and Hindi cinema, died. He was 87.
Savarkar's career in Marathi and Hindi films, theatre, and television spanned six decades, which includes movies such as 'Hari Om Vithala', 'Gadbad Gondhal', '66 Sadashiv' and 'Bakaal', while 'Yugpurush', 'Vaastav', and 'Singham'.
Savarkar started his career in Marathi theatre as a backstage artist and got an opportunity to act in acclaimed playwright Vijay Tendulkar's stage production Manus Navache Bet.
He was awarded the Jeevan Gaurav Award by Ambarnath Marathi Film Festival.
From the Maharashtra government, he received the Natvarya Prabhakar Panshikar Lifetime Achievement Award.
World Embryologist Day or World IVF Day is celebrated annually on July 25. The Day is observed to create awareness among people about Embryologists and the process of Invitro fertilisation (IVF).
The history of World IVF or Embryologist Day dates back to July 25, 1978 when the first baby named Louise Joy Brown was born through the process of Invitro fertilisation (IVF). July 25 is therefore dedicated to the birth anniversary of Louise Joy Brown.
The significance of World Embryologist Day is to educate people about the IVF procedure and how it helps childless couples. This day encourages people to take up the IVF option if they are facing difficulty in conceiving a child.
Govt. Tables Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, National Dental Commission Bill in Parliament
The government introduced the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 and the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha.
The National Dental Commission Bill seeks to repeal the Dentists Act, 1948 and proposes to set up National Dental Commission (NMC) to regulate dental education and the profession in the country.
It also aims to make dental education affordable and make quality oral healthcare accessible.
As per reports, the composition of the dental commission will be similar to that of the National Medical Commission, which had replaced the Medical Council of India.
The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 aims at setting up National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) and to repeal the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947.
The Bill provides for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by nursing and midwifery professionals, assessment of institutions, maintenance of a national register as well as state registers.
Jamia to Start Medical College, International Campus Soon
The Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) Prof. Najma Akhtar announced that the Union Government has granted permission to start a medical college in JMI.
Akhtar also announced that JMI is aiming to open an international campus in Middle East soon.
The institute hosted its Centenary Year Convocation at Vigyan Bhawan. In the ceremony, around 12500 students were awarded degrees and diplomas, including the ones who graduated in the 2019 and 20202. The ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan.
Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, was the Chief Guest of the ceremony. Minister of Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan too presided over the convocation.
University of Strathclyde Offers Scholarships to Indian Students for Engineering
Indian students aiming to start a course in the engineering field can now apply for a scholarship worth £3,000. The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow is offering scholarships for international students who will be joining postgraduate taught and postgraduate research courses in academic year 2023-24.
University of Strathclyde offers scholarships to Indian students joining Faculty of Engineering.
Ancient Portal to the Underworld Discovered in Israel
Archaeologists discovered evidence of an ancient portal to the underworld near Jerusalem. The place contains ancient skulls, lamps, coins, and artefacts that span thousands of years.
Te'omim Cave, located in the Jerusalem Hills of Israel has been studied since 1873. The experts have long suspected that the spring water that flows through the underground system was considered healing to those who used the cave between 4000 BCE and the fourth century CE.
The cave is a source of both legends and historical dramas. The place also served as a hideout for Jewish rebels during the Bar Kokhba revolt in the 2nd century CE.
The researchers have been excavating the cave since 2009 as part of a collaboration of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University and the Cave Research Center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Bombay and Andhra Pradesh High Courts Get New Chief Justices
Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, while Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended the appointment of Justice Devendra Upadhyaya of the Allahabad High Court as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur, a Bombay High Court judge, as the Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court earlier this month (July).
Punjab & Haryana Bar Council Elections: Ashok Singla New Chairperson
Advocate Ashok Singla was elected the chairperson and advocate Ranvir Singh Dhaka was elected the vice chairperson of the Punjab and Haryana State Bar Council.
The elections for deciding the office-bearers of the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council were conducted under the supervision of Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan, who served as the returning officer.
Ashok Singla, hailing from Sangrur, has previously served as the secretary of the Bar Council in 2005-06 and later as the vice chairperson in 2022-23.
The State Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana consists of 25 elected members who are chosen through a preferential voting system from among advocates enrolled in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana was formed, in 1961, as per the requirement of Section 3 of Advocates Act, 1961 which mandates for each state of India to have its Bar Council.
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