UniFocus IAS ( UNIFOCUS UNIVERSAL )

  NASA successfully launched the fourth and final satellite in a series of advanced weather satellites for NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) at 5:26 p.m. EDT Tuesday. The GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) will benefit the nation by providing continuous coverage of weather and hazardous environmental conditions across much of the Western Hemisphere. The satellite  launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Mission managers confirmed at 10:18 p.m. the spacecraft’s solar arrays successfully deployed, and the spacecraft was operating on its own power. In addition to its critical role in terrestrial weather prediction, the GOES constellation of satellites helps forecasters predict space weather near Earth that can interfere with satellite electronics, GPS, and radio communications. The GOES-U satellite goes beyond the capabilities of its predecessors with  a new space...

  The EU today held the first Intergovernmental Conference at ministerial level to open accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova. This follows a decision by the European Council on 14-15 December 2023 to open accession negotiations with Moldova, and the approval by the Council of the Negotiating Framework for the negotiations with Moldova on 21 June, in accordance with the revised enlargement methodology. The EU has now invited the Commission to continue to assess the state of preparedness of Moldova for opening negotiations in specific areas and identify the issues that will most likely come up in the negotiations, starting with the fundamentals' cluster which, in accordance with the Negotiating Framework, will be opened first.  As a future member state, Moldova will be expected to continue to adhere to the values listed in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, namely the respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for ...

  The EU today held the first Intergovernmental Conference at ministerial level to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. This follows the decision by the European Council on 14-15 December 2023 to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, and the approval by the Council of the Negotiating Framework for the negotiations with Ukraine on 21 June, in accordance with the revised enlargement methodology. The EU has now invited the Commission to continue to assess the state of preparedness of Ukraine for opening negotiations in specific areas and identify the issues that will most likely come up in the negotiations, starting with the fundamentals' cluster which, in accordance with the Negotiating Framework, will be opened first.  As a future member state, Ukraine will be expected to continue to adhere to the values listed in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, namely the respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, ...

Chang'e 6 (Chinese: 嫦娥六号; pinyin: Cháng'é liùhào) is a robotic lunar exploration mission by the China National Space Administration. Like its predecessors in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e. The mission began on 3 May 2024 when the probe was launched from China's Hainan island. The mission's lander and a mobile camera rover landed on the far side of the Moon on 1 June 2024. As part of China's second sample return mission, the lander's robotic scoop and drill took samples from the lunar surface and placed it on the mission's ascender module which then was launched into lunar orbit on 3 June 2024. The ascender docked with the orbiter module in lunar orbit on 6 June 2024, then transferred the container carrying the samples to an atmospheric re-entry module on the orbiter for its eventual return to Earth. The mission's lander and mini-rover also conducted scientific experiments on the ...

  Come monsoon and the challenges of cleanliness and sanitation are heightened. With this increases the prevalence of waterborne and vector-borne diseases. Recognizing the critical importance of proactive measures to mitigate health risks associated with monsoon, the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), introduces the   Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao (SABB)   (1 st  July to 31 st   Aug., 2024)   initiative. This initiative seeks to enhance the preparedness of Urban Local Bodies, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle the challenges posed by heavy rainfall and heightened health risks during the months of June to August. Aligning with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s ‘STOP Diarrhoea Campaign'-  'Diarrhoea ki Roktham, Safai aur ORS se rakhen apna dhyaan',  the initiative   seeks a collaborative effort among various line Ministries and Departments and inter-sectoral ...

Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Dr. B.D. Mishra, on 24 June 2024 declared Ladakh as the administrative unit to achieve Full Functional Literacy under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, after having achieved more than 97% literacy. This milestone reflects Ladakh’s commitment to empowering its citizens through Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, and Critical Life Skills for all. Dr. Mishra informed this in a celebration at Sindhu Sanskritik Kendra (SSK), Leh. The declaration was made in the presence of Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India; Smt. Archana Sharma Awasthi, Joint Secretary; Dr. Mohd. Jaffer Akhoon, Chairman, LAHDC, Kargil; Shri Sanjeev Khirwar, Principal Secretary, School Education, Ladakh; and more than 500 new literates and volunteers. The ceremony included the felicitation of neo-literates and volunteer teachers and the launch of the Annual Achievement Report 2023 of the school departm...

The office of the Speaker becomes vacant immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha ( article 94 of the Constitution ).  In such a case, the duties of the Speaker are to be performed by a Member of the House appointed for this purpose by the President as Speaker pro tem. The position is often filled by the  senior-most Members( seniority in terms of their tenure in the Lok Sabha) , who serves in that capacity until a permanent Speaker is appointed. His role includes administering oath to newly elected members and aid parliament to choose new speaker. His office get dissolved when new speaker is appointed. Procedure of appointment: As soon as the new Government is formed,  Legislative I Section prepares a list of the senior-most Members( seniority in terms of their tenure in the Lok Sabha). The list is then submitted to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs/ Prime Minister for identifying a Member as Speaker pro tem. After the approval of the ...

Secretary-General António Guterres today launched a set of United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity. These principles calls for “an information environment that champions human rights and a sustainable future.”  The five principles of Global Principles for Information Integrity are – societal trust and resilience; independent, free, and pluralistic media; healthy incentives; transparency and research; and public empowerment – are based on an overriding vision of a more humane information ecosystem.  "Algorithms should not control what people see, UN chief says, launching Global Principles for Information Integrity" - UN News UNifeed

  To tackle the persistent issue of childhood diarrhoea and strive for zero child deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has rebranded its long-standing Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF) as the STOP Diarrhoea Campaign. This initiative, which began in 2014, focuses on enhancing the Prevent, Protect, and Treat (PPT) strategy and increasing the use of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and Zinc. The campaign's 2024 slogan, “Diarrhoea ki Roktham, Safai aur ORS se rakhen apna dhyaan” ("डायरिया की रोकथाम, सफाई और ओ आर एस से रखें अपना ध्यान"), highlights the significance of prevention, cleanliness, and appropriate treatment. The STOP Diarrhoea Campaign will be implemented in two phases: the Preparatory Phase from 14th to 30th June 2024, and the Campaign Phase from 1st July to 31st August 2024. Key activities during this period include the distribution of ORS and Zinc co-packages by ASHA workers to households with children under five, setting up ORS-Z...

  Tobacco use is one of the major causes of preventable deaths and diseases in India and accounts for nearly 1.35 million deaths every year in the country. India is also the second largest consumer and producer of tobacco. According to Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) 2019, 8.5 percent of school students in the age group of 13 to 15 consume tobacco in different forms across the country. Easy access to tobacco products in its different forms around our school buildings and campuses believed to be one of the major contributing factors causing the above situation. As part of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, has issued the Tobacco Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) Guidelines for safeguarding minors and youth from tobacco use. Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education has developed a “ToFEI Implementation Manual” for schools and launched it on World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) which...

India is hosting a global event in sugar sector   ‘ISO Council Meeting’   in New Delhi from 25 th   till 27 th   June, 2024. Delegates from more than 30 countries and representatives of many international organisations are joining to deliberate on critical issues of sugar and biofuel sector As India is the world’s largest consumer and second largest producer of sugar, ISO Council nominated India as the Chair of the organisation for 2024. As part of the meeting, India is starting the series of events with industrial tour of the international delegates to one grain-based distillery at Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh on 24 June 2024 to showcase India’s adoption of latest technology in production of biofuels and other by-products. On 25.06.2024, a workshop titled ‘Sugar and Biofuels – Emerging Vistas’ is being organised at Bharat Mandapam. Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy will inaugurate the ...

Russia and North Korea  have signed a pact that includes a clause requiring the countries to come to each other’s aid if either is attacked. Western Nations raised concerns about possibel Russian aid to North Korea's  missile or nuclear programmes. The Guardian

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) today announced the opening of a new IMF regional center in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. It was established to  further strengthen the IMF’s engagement and partnership in the Asia-Pacific region.   IMF News

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the Australian Government, hosted a comprehensive and productive roundtable to discuss the learnings from the Australia-India Critical Agriculture Skills Pilot Project. Led by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE, and Mr. Mathew Johnston, Minister Counsellor, Education and Research, Australian High Commission, the roundtable focussed on the opportunities that lay beyond in taking the initiative forward, bringing it up to scale and replicating the model to other sectors. Representatives from the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Education (MoE), and Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI) were also part of the roundtable. Envisaged in March last year, the project came to fruition after an extensive process of consultation with experts, government organisations, r...

In a significant boost to the India’s port development programme, as many as 9 ports of India made it to the Global Top 100 in the latest edition of Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), 2023 - a report prepared by the World Bank and S&P Global Marketing Intelligence.   List of ports which are placed in the list are  Vishakhapatnam Port (19), Mundra Port (27),  Pipavav (41), Kamarajar (47), Cochin (63), Hazira (68), Krishnapatnam (71), Chennai (80) and Jawaharlal Nehru (96). PIB ,  Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), 2023

With this,  Thailand will become the first country in south Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized in 37 countries: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay. Same-sex marriage performed remotely or abroad is recognized with full marital rights by Israel. Indian Express , Wikipedia

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved  the proposal of Ministry of Home Affairs for Central Sector Scheme “National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES) with a total financial outlay of Rs. 2254.43 crore during the period from 2024-25 to 2028-29.  Financial outlay of the Central Sector Scheme will be provisioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs from its own budget. The Cabinet has approved the following components under this Scheme: Establishment   of  Campuses   of  the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in the country. Establishment of Central Forensic Science Laboratories in the country. Enhancement of existing infrastructure of the Delhi Campus of the NFSU. The Government of India is committed to put in place an effective and efficient criminal justice system, based on scientific and timely forensic examination of evidence. The scheme underscores the importance of high quality, tra...

Iceland grants commercial whaling permit despite opposition from animal welfare organizations. It was granted for a 2024 season. It was granted to Hvalur company. The licence allows company to kill 128 fin whales. At present, only Iceland, Norway and Japan allow commercial whaling. BBC  The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling: It was  was signed in 1946 and entered into force in 1948 and it is the International Whaling Commission’s founding document. The Convention includes a legally binding Schedule which, amongst other things, sets out catch limits for commercial and aboriginal subsistence whaling.  India ratified the convention in 1981. ( Ecolex ) Whaling Sanctuaries: Whaling Sanctuaries  designated by the International Whaling Commission. Commercial whaling is prohibited in these sanctuaries.  They are as follows: 1. Indian Ocean Sanctuary: It was established in 1979 and covers the whole of the Indian Ocean south to 55°S.  2. The sec...

Relevance:  "   NASA’s ICESat-2 Satellite Survives Strongest Solar Storm in 20 Years " - SciTechDaily ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite 2), part of NASA's Earth Observing System, is a satellite mission for measuring ice sheet elevation and sea ice thickness, as well as land topography, vegetation characteristics, and clouds. ICESat-2, a follow-on to the ICESat mission, was launched on 15 September 2018 onboard Delta II as the final flight from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, into a near-circular, near-polar orbit with an altitude of approximately 496 km (308 mi). It was designed to operate for three years and carry enough propellant for seven years. The satellite orbits Earth at a speed of 6.9 kilometers per second (4.3 mi/s). The ICESat-2 mission is designed to provide elevation data needed to determine ice sheet mass balance as well as vegetation canopy information. It will provide topography measurements of cities, lakes and reservoirs, oceans...

 Resolution was adopted on Monday. It aimed  at reaching a comprehensive ceasefire deal in three phases to end the war in Gaza. The United States-drafted text calls for Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal that has already been accepted by Israel. Resolution was neither supported nor vetoed by USSR. Resolution also  rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change  in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of the enclave.  The text also reiterates the Council’s “unwavering commitment” to the vision of the two-State solution where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine. Three phases are as follows: (a) Phase 1: an immediate, full, and complete ceasefire with the release of hostages including women, the elderly and the wounded, the return of the remains of some hostages who have been killed, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, withdrawal of Israeli forces from the populated areas in Gaza, the return of Palestinian civilians...

Relevance: "  What are Cabinet committees, and why is the CCS the most important of them all? " - The Indian Express The composition of the CCS is: Prime Minister of India Minister of Defence Minister of Home Affairs Minister of Finance Minister of External Affairs The National Security Adviser, the Cabinet Secretary and the Defence Secretary have also been attendees of the CCS meetings. Functions of the Committee would be as under :-  to deal with all Defence related issues;  to deal with issues relating to law and order, and internal security;  to deal with policy matters concerning foreign ·affairs that have internal or external security implications including cases relating to agreements with other countries on security related issues;  to deal with economic and political issues impinging on national security;  to review the manpower requirements relating to national security including proposals concerning creation of posts carrying the pay scale of rup...

  The   Kānvar ( or   Kānwar/ Kāvaḍ) Yātrā   is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Shiva, known as   Kānvarias   (कावड़िया) or "Bhole" (भोले), to Hindu pilgrimage places of   Haridwar ,   Gaumukh   and   Gangotri   in   Uttarakhand   and   Ajgaibinath ,   Sultanganj   in Bhagalpur,   Bihar   to fetch   holy waters   of   Ganges River . Millions of pilgrims fetch sacred water from river Ganga and carry on their shoulders for hundreds of miles to offer it in their local Śiva shrines, or specific temples such as Pura Mahadeva temple in   Baghpat district   and Augharnath temple in   Meerut ,   Kashi Vishwanath   temple in   Varanasi ,   Baidyanath   temple in   Deoghar   etc. In 2023, the Kanwar Yatra was held from 04-15 July. At its base, Kanwar refers to a genre of religious performances where participants ritually carry water from a ...

The launch of   ‘Missile Cum Ammunition Barge, LSAM 13 (Yard 81)’, the fifth   Barge of 08 x Missile Cum Ammunition Barge project, built by MSME Shipyard, M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd (SEPPL), Visakhapatnam for Indian Navy, was undertaken on   10 Jun 24   at M/s Vinayaga Marine Petro Ltd, Mira Bhayandar, Maharashtra (launch site of M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd). The launching Ceremony was presided over by   Cmde Manish Vig, General Manager (QA), ND(Mbi).   The contract for building 08 x Missile Cum Ammunition Barge was signed between MoD and M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam on 19 Feb 21. The availability of these Barges would provide impetus to operational commitments of  IN  by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles/ ammunition to  IN  Ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours. These Barges are indigenously designed and built under relevant Naval Rules an...

Indian Navy's indigenous Stealth Frigate INS Shivalik arrived at Yokosuka, Japan to participate in the bilateral Japan – India Maritime Exercise 2024 (JIMEX 24).   This is the eighth edition of JIMEX, since its inception in 2012. The ship was accorded a warm welcome by VAdm ITO Hiroshi, Commander JMSDF Yokosuka District & Ambassador Sibi George, Ambassador of India to Japan. The exercise includes both harbour and sea phases. The harbour phase will comprise professional, sports and social interactions, after which the two navies will jointly hone their war fighting skills at sea and enhance their interoperability through complex multi-discipline operations in the surface, sub-surface and air domains. The  IN  is being represented by INS Shivalik and the  JMSDF  is being represented by the Guided Missile Destroyer JS Yugiri.  Integral helicopters from both navies will also participate in the joint exercise. Having grown in scope and complexity over the ye...

Buronius Manfredschmidi - Smallest known great ape discovered JADES-GS-z14-0 Independence of Kosovo Tax devolution of States World Oceans Day - June 8 Quality Council of India celebrates World Accreditation Day in more than 20 cities across India

 It weighs just 10 kg. It has a  size of a human toddler. It was discovered in  Germany . It  dates back to 11m years ago. Times of India , The Guardian ,

JADES-GS-z14-0 is the most distant known galaxy, identified in May 2024 by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This galaxy was discovered as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program, aimed at exploring the early universe and the formation of its first galaxies. Discovery JADES-GS-z14-0 was observed using JWST's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), which provided a detailed spectrum of the galaxy, confirming its redshift of 14.32. This places the galaxy's formation at approximately 290 million years after the Big Bang, making it the most distant galaxy ever observed. The discovery was announced on May 30, 2024. Characteristics JADES-GS-z14-0 spans over 1,600 light-years and exhibits significant luminosity primarily from young stars. Spectroscopic analysis revealed the presence of strong ionized gas emissions, including hydrogen and oxygen. The detection of these elements suggests that multiple generations of massive stars had already formed ...