India needs to back its wind energy ambitions with investment: Global Wind Energy Council

Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)

• It is a member-based trade association that represents the entire wind energy sector.
• It was established in 2005 to provide a credible and representative forum for the entire wind energy sector at an international level.
• The members of GWEC represent over 1,500 companies, organisations and institutions in more than 80 countries, including manufacturers, developers, component suppliers, research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, electricity providers, and finance and insurance companies.
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.
• Mission: To promote the development and deployment of wind power as a sustainable and cost-effective source of energy.
• The GWEC conducts research, provides market intelligence, and advocates for policies that support the growth of wind energy.
• It also organizes events and conferences to bring together stakeholders from around the world to discuss key issues in the industry.
• Reports published: Global Wind Report

Rare Eurasian griffon vulture spotted at Delhi biodiversity park

Eurasian Griffon Vulture:

• It is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.
• It is one of the largest birds in the vulture family and is Europe’s second-largest bird.
• Scientific Name: Gyps fulvus
• Distribution:
  • It has a very large range, across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, from India to Portugal and Spain
  • They are most commonly found in countries that border the Mediterranean.
• Habitat:
  • They live in areas of mountains, plateaus, shrubland, grassland, and semi-desert, usually in warm climates, but also in harsher conditions of cold, rain, mist, and snow to secure particularly favourable breeding or foraging conditions.
  • They tend to avoid forests, lakes, wetlands, and marine waters.
• Features:
  • The griffon vulture is 93–122 cm long with a 2.3–2.8 m wingspan.
  • Adult birds are identical with a white head, neck and ‘feathery’ ruff-like collar.
  • Its body and upper wings are pale brown.
  • They are social birds, often gathering in large groups to feed on a single carcass.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Least Concern

CAG finds 117 hectares of mangroves destroyed in Kutch; asks govt to save ‘Kharai” breed of camels from extinction

Kharai Camel:

• They are a rare breed of camel found in the salt marshes of the Kutch district of Gujarat.
• Their name is derived from the local word khara, meaning saline.
• It is well adapted to the saline desert environment and is known for its ability to swim (hence also known as ‘swimming camel’).
• They swim long distances in the sea to reach their grazing areas, usually more than 3 km at a time, even in deep waters.
• Kharai camels mostly feed on mangroves.
• They are considered a unique Eco-tonal species as they survive in the dryland ecosystem as well as the coastal ecosystem.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Endangered

Russia starts exercises with Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles

Yars intercontinental ballistic missile:

• The Yars (also known as RS-24 or SS-29) is a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
• Features:
  • It is a three-stage solid-fuel missile and can be launched from a silo or mobile launcher.
  • The missile weighs around 49,000 kg and is 9 metres long.
  • It has a range of 12 000 km.
  • The Yars missile is equipped with Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs). This allows it to **carry multiple independently targetable nuclear warheads (**at least six).
  • It has the capability to manoeuvre during flight and deploy both active and passive decoys, which gives Yars the advantage against modern missile defence systems.

Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)

• An ICBM is a guided missile that is designed to deliver nuclear warheads, although it could also deliver other payloads.
• According to the Federation of American Scientists, ICBMs have a minimum range of 5,500 kilometres (3,400 miles), with maximum ranges varying from 7,000 to 16,000 kilometres.
• ICBMs are much faster and have a greater range than other types of ballistic missiles.
• Agni-Vis an Indian ICBM with a range of over 5,000 km.

European Commission grants GI tag for Himachal''s Kangra tea

• It is a type of tea produced in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
• It is a high-quality tea that is known for its unique flavour, aroma, and colour.
• It is made from the leaves, buds, and tender stems of the Camellia sinensis species cultivated in the Kangra valley.
• Black tea and green tea have both been cultivated in the Kangra Valley.
• In India, Kangra tea received the Geographical Indication (GI) designation in 2005.
• Features:
  • Kangra tea leaves are narrow and have a multi-stemmed frame.
  • Green tea has a subtle woody aroma, while black tea has a sweet, lasting aftertaste.
  • It has a light colour and a high body in liquor.

Russia says it has test-fired missiles in the Sea of Japan

Moskit cruise missiles:

• It is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile that has conventional and nuclear warhead capacity
• It has the fastest flying speed among all anti-ship missiles in today''s world.
• It reaches Mach 3 at a high altitude and its maximum low-altitude speed is M2.2.
• It is capable of destroying a ship within a range of up to 120 kilometres.

Cruise missiles

• A cruise missile either locates its target or has a preset target.
• It navigates using a guidance system such as inertial or beyond visual range satellite GPS guidance and comprises a payload and aircraft propulsion system.
• Cruise missiles can be launched from land, sea or air for land attacks and anti-shipping purposes, and can travel at subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic speeds.
• They stay relatively close to the surface of the earth, cannot be detected easily by anti-missile systems, and are designed to carry large payloads with high precision.

Ballistic Missiles

• Ballistic Missiles are launched directly into the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere.
• They travel outside the atmosphere, where the warhead detaches from the missile and falls towards a predetermined target.
• They are rocket-propelled self-guided weapons systems which can carry conventional or nuclear munitions. They can be launched from aircraft, ships and submarines, and land.

Speed up disbursal of loans sanctioned by HEFA: panel to Education ministry

Higher Education Financing Agency:

• Higher Education Financing Agency provides financial assistance for the creation of capital assets in premier educational institutions in India.
• It is registered under Section 8 as a Not-for-profit under the Companies Act 2013 as a Union Govt company and as Non–deposit-taking Systemically Important (NBFC-ND-SI) with RBI.
• It was established on 31st May 2017 and is a joint venture of the Ministry of Education, GoI and Canara Bank with agreed equity participation in the ratio of 90.91% and 09.09% respectively
• What are the objectives? The main aim of HEFA is for the development of India’s top-ranked institutions like IITs, IIITs, NITs, IISCs, and AIIMS into globally top-ranking institutions through improvement in their academic and infrastructure quality.
• It is particularly interested in financing the building of educational infrastructure, and R&D infrastructure and thereby enabling the institutions to reach top rankings globally.

NCLAT upholds penalty on Google; sets aside certain directions issued by CCI

National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT):

• It was constituted under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013 for hearing appeals against the orders of the National Company Law Tribunal(s) (NCLT), with effect from 1st June 2016.
• Functions:
  • Hearing appeals against the orders passed by NCLT(s) under Section 61 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC).
  • To hear and dispose of appeals against any direction issued or decision made or order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
  • It also hears and disposes of appeals against the orders of the National Financial Reporting Authority.

Competition Commission of India (CCI)

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) was established in March 2009 by the Government of India under the Competition Act, 2002for the administration, implementation, and enforcement of the Act.
• It is a quasi-judicial body which gives opinions to statutory authorities and also deals with other cases.
• Composition of the CCI
  • The Commission consists of one Chairperson and six Members who shall be appointed by the Central Government.
  • The Chairperson and other Members shall be whole-time Members
• Objectives of this commission:
  • It will eliminate practices having adverse effects on competition.
  • To Promote and sustain competition.
  • It helps in protecting the interests of consumers.
  • Ensuring freedom of trade in the markets of India.

Vembanad, Ashtamudi: NGT slaps Rs 10 crore on Kerala for its failure to protect Ramsar sites

Vemband Lake:

• Vemband is the largest lake in Kerala and the longest Lake in India.
• It is also known as Vembanad Kayal, Vembanad Kol, Punnamada Lake (in Kuttanad) and Kochi Lake (in Kochi).
• The lake has its source in four rivers, Meenachil, Achankovil, Pampa and Manimala.
• It is separated from the Arabian Sea by a narrow barrier island and is a popular backwater stretch in Kerala.
• Vallam Kali (i.e Nehru Trophy Boat Race) is a Snake Boat Race held every year in the month of August in Vembanad Lake.
• In 2002, it was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention.
• The Government of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme.
• The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the east coast of the lake.

Union Minister initiates ‘Captive Employment’ initiative under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), paving the way for greater industry participation in skilling rural poor youth

• Captive Employment is a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at addressing the vision of a dynamic and demand-based skilling ecosystem catering to the requirements of industry partners assuring sustainable placements for rural poor youth.
• The Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) signed an MoU with 19 Captive Employers.
• It aims to train and provide jobs for rural youth under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).
• The Captive Employment Guidelines ensure the RTD (Recruit, Train and Deploy) model.
• The RTD model addresses the needs of the industry, trains accordingly and ensures sustainable placements for rural youth.
• This initiative caters to the needs of industry partners, ensuring long-term employment for underprivileged rural youth.
• Captive Employers are the companies or industries that select rural youths, skill them, and deploy them in one of their establishments, sister concerns or subsidiaries.
• Captive Employers are required to
  • Offer captive (in-house) placement to all the trained candidates.
  • Provide captive employment to a minimum of 70% of trained candidates for 6 months.
  • Captive employment gives a minimum salary of Rs 10,000 (for less than a 6-month course) and Rs 12,000 (for more than a 6-month course).