- Syrian teen wins Children’s Peace Prize for building school
Sixteen-year-old Mohamad Al Jounde from Syria was awarded the International Children’s Peace Prize for his efforts to ensure the rights of Syrian refugee children.
Al Jounde, a refugee of the Syrian civil war, set up a school together with his family in a Lebanese refugee camp that currently provides 200 children with eduction.
- Ellie Goulding Honored as UN Environment Global Goodwill Ambassador
Ellie Goulding, the chart-topping, award-winning British artist, has been appointed a UN Environment Global Goodwill Ambassador.
The 30-year-old pop star shared the news in Kenya, surrounded by giraffes at the Giraffe Manor in the suburbs of the capital Nairobi, where UN Environment has its HQ.
- Kerala launches India’s largest floating solar power plant
The largest-ever floating solar power plant in India will be operational in Kerala. State power minister MM Mani will inaugurate the plant at the Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad.
The solar power plant that floats on the surface of water has a capacity of 500 kilowatts (KW). This is the country’s largest floating solar plant.
- Maha govt grants approval for Versova-Bandra sea link
The Maharashtra government has accorded administrative approval to the Versova-Bandra sea link (VBSL) project, eight years after the state cabinet committee on Infrastructure (SCCI) cleared it.
The SCCI had cleared the project on August 18, 2009. However, it took another four years, for the government to get the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and environment clearance from the Centre which was given in January 2013.
- 3rd DRC-NITI Aayog Dialogue Held in China
The 3rd edition of the Dialogue between the NITI Aayog and the Development Research Council of China, the DRC- NITI Aayog Dialogue was held in Beijing. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Chairman NITI Aayog, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, and Mr Li Wei, President (Minister), DRC.
The DRC-NITI Dialogue provides an important platform for both sides to discuss key macro- economic issues impacting both countries and areas of mutual interest.
- 05 December 2017: World Soil day
World Soil Day is celebrated annually on the 5th of December at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome, the regional offices and through national and local events.
World Soil Day 2017 activities aim to communicate messages on the importance of soil quality for food security, healthy ecosystems and human well-being.
2017 Theme: ‘Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground’.
- Successful Launch of Akash Missile
The Surface to Air Missile AKASH with indigenous radio frequency seeker against target Banshee, has been successfully launched from the Launch Complex-III at ITR Chandipur.
This missile is being inducted into Army as Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM). This is the first Surface to Air Missile with indigenous seeker that has been test fired. With this success, India has achieved the capability of making any type of Surface to Air Missile.
- Google, Tata Trusts to expand Internet Saathi programme
Google will expand its Internet Saathi programme in India — run in partnership with Tata Trusts — to create “digitally-enabled livelihood opportunities” for women.
Launched in July 2015, Internet Saathi programme aims to facilitate digital literacy among women in rural India. It has so far, trained 30,000 Internet Saathis, who have in turn influenced 12 million women in the country.
Tata Trusts has set up Foundation For Rural Entrepreneurship Development (FREND), which will help companies and institutions to utilise the services of Internet Saathis in dissemination of information and services in rural areas.
- Indian-American Senator tops Global Thinkers’ list
Indian-American Senator Kamala Harris from California has topped the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine’s 50 Leading Global Thinker’s list which will also feature two others from the community.
Stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj and US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley have also made it to the list which recognises a remarkable range of individuals who have found ways to exert enormous influence, often in unexpected ways, on a wide range of issues.
- US, South Korea begin largest-ever joint air drill
The US and South Korea on Monday kicked off their largest ever joint air exercise, an operation North Korea has labelled an “all-out provocation”, days after Pyongyang fired its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile.
The five-day Vigilant Ace drill — involving 230 aircraft, including F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters, and tens of thousands of troops – began.
The annual exercise comes five days after the nuclear-armed North test-fired a new ICBM, which it says brings the whole of the United States within range.
- Afghanistan crowned ICC Intercontinental Cup champions
Afghanistan grabbed the ICC Intercontinental Cup defeating United Arab Emirates by 10 wickets on the fourth and final day at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The two-and-half year first-class competition that began in 2015, provided for four-day competition to the eight participating teams.
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