1) Cuba becomes first nation to eliminate mother-to-child HIV and syphilis: WHO.
- Cuba has become the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. It was announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
- Cuba was able to achieve this milestone with the help and efforts of WHO and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
2) China vows to curb carbon emissions by 2030.
- Unfazed by the recent economic slide, China formally pledged to reduce carbon intensity of its industries while committing itself to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the next 15 years.
- The commitment came from the world`s biggest emitter ahead of the United Nations climate talks in Paris.
- China`s carbon dioxide emission will peak by around 2030 and China will work hard to achieve the target at an even earlier date.
- UK Food Standards Agency gave clean chit to India-made Maggi.
- The Food Standards Agency (FSA) of United Kingdom (UK) released test results of Nestle’s 2-minute Maggi noodles manufactured in India.
- FSA in its release said that levels of lead in the product are well within European Union permissible levels and would not be a concern to consumers.
- In total 900 samples were taken from Nestle, local authorities and port authorities for being tested.
- United Kingdom Food Standards Agency (UK FSA) decided to test a selection of Maggi Noodles as a precaution after the product was banned in India.
- It was banned in India by food safety regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for containing high levels (beyond permissible limits) of lead and taste enhancer Monosodium Glutamate (MSG).
3) Iran, P5+1 extend interim nuclear deal for more talks.
- Iran and P5+1 nations i.e. six major powers have agreed to extend an interim nuclear agreement in order to allow more time for negotiations on a final deal.
- This decision was taken during the talks between these nations held in the Vienna, Austria after the deadline expired on 30 June 2015.
- It should be noted that the so-called P5+1 (Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and United States) and Iran are negotiating to curb Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief.
- They are working towards an accord that would halt Iran’s sensitive nuclear work for at least a decade in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
4) India abstains from UNHRC vote against Israel.
- The government denied what appeared to be a major shift in India’s policy on Israel, after it abstained from a vote against Israel at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.
- The resolution (A/HRC/29/L.35) had welcomed the U.N. Human Rights Council report, which found evidence of “alleged war crimes” committed by both Israel and Hamas during the Gaza conflict in 2014, particularly calling for accountability of Israeli officials.
5) New Ebola cases found once again in Liberia.
- The death toll from Ebola virus in Liberia is on the rise once again after three new confirmed cases were reported.
- Earlier in May 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared the West African country Ebola free after no new cases were reported.
- Liberia has accounted for more than 4,800 deaths since the outbreak, which began in 2014.
- The West African country was believed to have been more successful in eradicating Ebola compared to its neighbouring countries viz. Sierra Leone and Guinea, which were still reporting new cases in May, 2015.
6) UNESCO and UNITAR signed agreement to protect cultural heritage with geo-spatial technologies.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) signed an agreement to protect cultural heritage sites with the latest geo-spatial technologies.
- The agreement was signed at the annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, Germany.
About the Agreement:
- Under the agreement, complimentary capacities of both the organizations-satellite technology of UNITAR and ground based resources of UNESCO – will be put into best use for protection of heritage sites.
- Apart from the Geographic Information Systems (GIS), crowd-sourcing application UN-ASIGN, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and advanced web-mapping solutions will be deployed to continuously monitor the status of heritage sites.
- The agreement will be operational through the UNITAR’s Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT).
- Importance of geo-spatial technologies in protecting heritage sites.
- The agreement between both the UN organizations was signed against the backdrop of damage occurred to cultural heritage sites due to conflicts and natural calamities in different parts of the world in recent times.
7) Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis Resigns After Referendum.
- Greece’s outspoken Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis resigned under pressure from his government and his country’s creditors, who both identified him as an obstacle to productive talks about a new bailout deal.
- He was stepping down to allow Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to reach a new deal with European creditors.
8) India, Uzbekistan ink pacts to boost cooperation.
- On his first visit to Central Asian countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov on key bilateral and regional issues including the situation in Afghanistan as the two countries inked three pacts to boost cooperation between their foreign offices and in the field of culture and tourism.
- Mr. Modi, who arrived in the Uzbek capital on the first leg of his eight-day visit to Central Asia and Russia, was received at the airport by his counterpart Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev and was accorded a ceremonial welcome.
- Mr. Modi and Mr. Karimov discussed ways to enhance strategic, economic and energy ties apart from reviewing key regional issues including the situation in Afghanistan.
- The two leaders also discussed ways to implement the contract for supply of uranium from mineral-rich Uzbekistan signed last year. The pact was signed for supply of 2,000 metric tonnes of the yellow cake.
Uzbekistan:
- Capital: Tashkent.
- President: Islam Karimov.
- Prime Minister: Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
- Currency: Uzbekistani som.
9) USA, Brazil issued Joint Statement on Climate Change.
- Presidents of the United States of America and Brazil Barack Obama and Dilma Dilma Rousseff respectively issued a joint statement on climate change in Washington, the USA.
- The joint statement includes individual commitments towards reducing green house gas (GHG) emissions and bilateral mechanisms to protect the planet from the adverse effects of climate change.
- The USA and Brazil each intend to increase the share of renewables – beyond hydropower – in their respective electricity generation mixes to the level of 20 percent by 2030. This means the USA and Brazil will need to triple and double, respectively, their share of renewable energy in the next 15 years.
- The USA will reduce GHG emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels in 2025.
- Brazil intends to restore and reforest 12 million hectares of forests by 2030.
10) India, Kazakhstan signed five Agreements including a contract for supply of uranium.
- India and Kazakhistan signed five agreements during the two-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kazakhstan. The agreement was signed in the presence of PM Modi and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
- Narendra Modi is on an eight-day visit to five Central Asian states, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan from 6 July to 13 July 2015.
List of Agreements signed:
- Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons.
- Agreement on Defence and Military – Technical Cooperation.
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation on Physical Cultural and Sports.
- MoU on Technical Cooperation in the field of Railways.
- Long term contract between Department of Atomic Energy, India and KazAtomProm for sale and purchase of natural uranium concentrates.
- In addition to above agreements, a MoU between JSC «Kazxnex Invest» and JSC «Invest India», which includes a Road Map on Trade, Economic and Investment Cooperation was also signed during the visit.
- The roadmap would identify concrete projects in various sectors and assist in efficient implementation of projects in both the countries to activate bilateral trade and economic relations.