- The Nine Degree Channel separates Minicoy (Lakshwadeep) from the northern islands of Lakshwadeep. The Eight Degree channel separates Miniocy and the Maldives archipelago.
- Leading the way for the entire country, Diu becomes the first destination to be fully run by solar power. The Union Territory has made such significant progress in the last three years that now Diu produces more than 100 per cent solar power. Diu, which has a geographical area of 42 sq km, has installed solar power plants across 50 acres of its land. Read more at Business Today.
- A major maize pest in North America, the Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) arrived in Africa in 2016. The invasive pest was discovered in Karnataka recently. The Karnataka finding is the first report of the pest in Asia. The discovery is more worrisome because the pest feeds on around 100 different crops, such as vegetables, rice, and sugarcane. Read more at The Hindu.
- MAA is an intensified programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, for creating an enabling environment to ensure that others, husbands and families receive adequate information and support for promotion of breastfeeding. The MAA programme will be monitored by UNICEF and Reproductive, Materanal, Newborn, Child Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) lead development partners. Source: UNICEF INDIA.
- The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched by WHO and UNICEF in 1991, following the Innocenti Declaration of 1990. The initiative is a global effort to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Kerala is the first ‘baby friendly state’ in the world under the BFHI. Sources: WHO & Times of India.
- India has been admitted to three of the four multilateral export control regimes (India is not a member of the Nuclear Supplier Group), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) on June 27, 2016, the Wassenaar Arrangement on December 7, 2017, and the Australia Group on January 19, 2018. Source: The Hindu.
- India has welcomed the US government’s decision to grant it the status of a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) country — a move that will make it eligible for exports of number of high technology products to India without the requirement of individual licences. Read more at The Hindu Business Line.
- Before being elevated to STA-1, India was in STA-2, along with seven other countries — Albania, Hong Kong, Israel, Malta, Singapore, South Africa, and Taiwan. India has become the third Asian country after Japan and South Korea to get the Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) status. India is the 37th country to be designated the STA-1 status by the United States. Sources: The Hindu and The Indian Express.
- RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise led by the United States of America. RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Hawaii. 26 nations have taken part in the 2018 edition of RIMPAC. India has been associated with RIMPAC in earlier editions as well. Indian Navy’s Association with RIMPAC commenced with participation as an observer in 2006 edition. The Navy was observer in the 2010 and 2012 editions too. In 2014, Indian navy’s involvement was enhanced with deployment of Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri for the 24th edition of the exercise. Subsequently, the 25th edition of the exercise was attended by INS Satpura in 2016. Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri has reached the Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, to participate in the 26th edition (current 2018 edition) of RIMPAC. Sources: Wikipedia and Business Standard.
- For the first time, Indian Navy’s P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft from Indian Naval Ship (INS) Rajali has inducted at Hawaii for participating in the Rim of Pacific Multinational Naval exercise (RIMPAC-18). This is the first time ever that an Indian Naval aircraft has traversed so far east into the Pacific. In doing so, the aircraft has attained many additional firsts for an IN aircraft. It is the first IN aircraft to cross the International Date Line, undertaking the longest ferry of nearly 3300 nm from Guam to Hawaii and the first IN aircraft to participate in RIMPAC. Source: Business Standard.
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