1) Cow declared as National Animal of Nepal.
Cow was declared as the National Animal of Nepal as per the new secular constitution of Nepal unveiled by Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav at a special ceremony held in Parliament at Kathmandu.
Background:
Cow is considered as a sacred animal to Hindus and as Nepal is a Hindu country, therefore the Nepal`s government have made cow the national animal. With this, the animal has constitutional protection and cow slaughter has also been banned.
Note: Nepal on 20 September 2015 adopted its first democratically-framed constitution with the promulgation of the charter by the president Ram Baran Yadav. The constitution was conceptualized, developed and adopted by a representative Constituent Assembly.
List of national symbols of Nepal:
National Bird: Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus)
National Emblem: Coat of Arms
National Dress: DauraSuruwal
National Anthem: Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka
National Animal: Cow
National Flower: Rhododendron/ Lali gurans
Note: National Flag of Nepal is the world`s only Non Quadrilateral National Flag
2) UNICEF unveiled Assembly of Youth digital installation at the UN headquarters in New York.
A digital installation named as Assembly of Youth was unveiled at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the USA. It was developed for UNICEF by Google.
It was unveiled by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake and two young people from UNICEF Voices of Youth initiative ahead of the UN General Assembly summit on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Objective: The purpose of the installation is to bring the voices of children and young people from across the world to the heart of the UN General Assembly.
Features of Assembly of Youth:
It harnesses mobile technology and social media to deliver personal messages from children and young people across the globe directly to world leaders.
The messages highlight the challenges they face in their homes and communities - including extreme poverty, inequality, violence, deadly disease and conflict and express their hopes for the future.
The messages will inform and sensitize world leaders and motivate them to take appropriate action to transform the lives of millions of most disadvantaged children and young people.
Data displayed in the installation is drawn from U-Report, a free SMS-based system that allows young people to speak out on the issues they face and what is happening in their communities.
Data is also derived from outreach to children and young people across UNICEF social media channels.
About U-Report
U-Report is a groundbreaking text-message based innovation, set up by UNICEF.
It amplifies the voices and views of young people in developing countries.
U-Reporters can share their opinions on everything from the job skills they want to the best way to tackle epidemics.
About Voices of Youth:
Set up by UNICEF, it is a global community of youth bloggers from all over the world which gives young people the opportunity to learn about development issues and to express their opinions.
3) Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for a weeklong visit to Ireland and the United States.
- This is the first Prime Ministerial visit to Ireland in 60 years [Jawaharlal Nehru visited Dublin in 1956].
- On his First leg of this visit, Modi reached Ireland and had a delegation level talks with his Irish counterpart Enda Kenny on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues including information technology, pharmaceuticals and clean energy.
- Both countries agree for direct air services to boost tourism. The focus of the PM`s Ireland visit is strengthening economic ties and people to people contacts.
- In the United States, Mr. Modi will address United Nations Summit for the adoption of post 2015 Development Agenda, Leaders summit on peace keeping and G4 summit.
4) Alexis Tsipras sworn-in as Prime Minister of Greece.
- Alexis Tsipras of left wing Syriza party has sworn in as the Prime Minister of Greece. He was administered oath to the office by the President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.
- It is second time, Alexis Tsipras has sworn in as the PM of Greece. Earlier in January 2015, he had sworn in for first becoming youngest PM of Greece since 1865 at the age of 40.
Background:
- In the September 2015 general (snap) elections to the Greece’s Parliament, Alexis Tsipras led left-wing Syriza party had emerged as the largest party.
- In this election, Syriza party had won 144 seats in the 300 seat Parliament by securing 35 per cent of total votes.
- In order to meet governing majority in the Parliament, Syriza party had formed a coalition government with the support of Independent Greeks Party.
5) First trilateral ministerial meeting between India, Japan and US.
India, Japan and US have decided to hold first trilateral ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
PM Modi will attend it on behalf of India.