Armenia becomes the 104th full member of the International Solar Alliance.  The Republic of Armenia handed over the International Solar Alliance Instrument of Ratification, during the meeting of Armenian Ambassador to India Vahagn Afyan with Abhishek Singh Joint Secy (ED&MER) and Head of Depository, in  New Delhi.

International Solar Alliance

• International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an inter-governmental treaty-based organisation with a global mandate to catalyse solar growth by helping to reduce the cost of financing and technology.

• The ISA was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande on November 30, 2015, in Paris on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the UNFCCC.

Objectives of ISA:

• To address obstacles that stand in the way of rapid and massive scale-up of solar energy.

• To undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation.

• To mobilise more than $1,000 billion of investments by 2030. 

• Reduce the cost of finance to increase investments in solar energy in member countries by promoting innovative financial mechanisms and mobilising finance from institutions.

• Scale up applications of solar technologies in member countries.

• Facilitate collaborative research and development (R&D) activities in solar energy technologies among member countries.

• Promote a common cyber platform for networking, cooperation and exchange of ideas among member countries.

The United Nations announced that over 50 governments have signed a declaration to make global tourism more climate-friendly, calling it a major achievement of the COP29 summit in Azerbaijan.

The signing of the U.N. declaration and accompanying initiatives set a strong precedent for integrating sustainability into tourism, reinforcing the industry’s responsibility in addressing climate change.

• For the first time, tourism has been incorporated into the U.N. Climate Change Conference Action Agenda. This marks the importance of the sector in discussions about climate change.
• The global tourism industry accounts for 3% of global GDP and is the source of 8.8% of greenhouse emissions, said Urosevic.
• The countries that signed the declaration on Enhanced Climate Action on Tourism have pledged to recognise the need to address tourism when drafting climate plans, such as their Nationally Determined Contributions. The next update of NDCs, in which governments describe policies to reduce emissions that cause global warming, are due in February."

Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI), under the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Germany based H2Global Stiftungto establish a collaborative framework to promote green hydrogen initiatives.

• The agreement aims to enhance knowledge exchange on market-based mechanisms and foster cooperation between India and importing countries, contributing to the global advancement of the green hydrogen economy.
• The MoU was signed by Sanjay Sharma, director (Solar), SECI, and Dr. Susana Moreira, executive director of H2Global, on November 19.
• This partnership offers India an opportunity to collaborate on joint tender design, particularly in structuring tenders aligned with India’s ambition to become a global hub for Green Hydrogen exports and its derivatives. 
• The cooperation may provide insights into global hydrogen market dynamics, including trade logistics and stakeholder engagement, furthering India's green hydrogen initiatives.

The Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Paatil digitally launched the newly developed “Bhu-Neer” portal on 19th September 2024 during the concluding ceremony of India Water Week 2024.

• The portal is developed by Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), for improved groundwater regulation across the country.
• This portal will serve as a one-stop platform for managing and regulating groundwater resources, aimed at ensuring transparency, efficiency, and sustainability in groundwater usage.
• The “Bhu-Neer” portal, is another step towards promoting the Hon’ble Prime Minister's vision of Ease of Doing Business by making ground water regulation a seamless and faceless exercise. 
•  The portal is now live for public use and all project proponents can visit the portal for ground water withdrawal related queries, clarifications, tracking application status, payment of statutory charges.

The India Women’s Hockey Team clinched their third Asian Champions Trophy title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a determined China at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar.

• Deepika emerged as the hero, scoring the sole decisive goal in the third quarter, securing back-to-back Asian Champion's Trophy titles for India and that too, on home soil.
• The final was a tightly contested affair, with both sides displaying equal tenacity and skill throughout.
• With this historic title win, India is now at level with South Korea for the most Women's Asian Champion's Trophy titles, with three a piece.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, co-chaired the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown, Guyana, on November 20, 2024.

• This high-level meeting marked a significant milestone in bolstering ties between India and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
• Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to President Irfaan Ali of Guyana for hosting the summit and appreciated the participation of CARICOM leaders.
• He underscored the strong foundation of India-CARICOM relations, built on shared histories, present needs, and future aspirations. 
• Prime Minister announced training in India for 11 young women cricketers from each of the CARICOM countries.
• He also proposed organizing "Days of Indian Culture” in member countries next year to strengthen people-to-people ties.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM or CC)

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM or CC) is an intergovernmental organisation that is a political and economic union of 15 member states (14 nation-states and one dependency) and five associated members throughout the Americas, The Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean.

 The organisation was established in 1973,

The secretariat headquarters is in Georgetown, Guyana.

Primary Activities

• Coordinating economic policies and development planning.
• Devising and instituting special projects for the less-developed countries within its jurisdiction.
• Operating as a regional single market for many of its members (Caricom Single Market).
• Handling regional trade disputes.

Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi was on Thursday( 22 November) honoured with the prestigious title of Honourary General of the Nepali Army.

• This exchange of honourary generalship, a unique and cherished tradition between the Indian and Nepali Armies, highlights the deep-rooted historical, cultural, and military ties between the two nations.
• General Dwivedi's visit and the conferral of this honour will not only strengthen military ties but also serve as a reflection of the deep respect between the two countries' armed forces, further advancing the spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding, an official statement said.
• The tradition of conferring honourary generalships between the Indian and Nepali Armies dates back to the 1950s.
• Every three years, the Chief of the Indian Army is made an Honourary General of the Nepali Army, and vice versa.
• This practice reflects the mutual respect and enduring friendship between the two countries, particularly in the realms of military cooperation, defence collaboration, and shared strategic interests.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister and a Hamas military commander for alleged war crimes.

• Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were accused of “crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024”, said a statement from the court.
• The court also decided “unanimously” to issue an arrest warrant for Hamas’s military commander Mohammed al-Masri, known as Mohammed Deif, “for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed” in Israel and Palestine from October 7, 2023.
• An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day, and more than 200 were taken captive.

India's Nandan Kumar Jha has been elected as the president of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), a global body for the governance and promotion of mind sports. Jha’s nomination was proposed by the World Draughts Federation.

• The announcement on Jha's election was made during IMSA's annual general assembly in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
• The IMSA, which has over 200 member countries, works with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other affiliate global sports federations to integrate mind sports into mainstream global sports.
• Sports federations affiliated to the IMSA represent nine sports including chess, draughts, esports, poker, go and bridge.

Shivangi Desai, a 22-year-old law student in her final year at the prestigious Indian Law School (ILS) Pune, has achieved the remarkable milestone of winning the national title of Miss Charm India 2024.

• This esteemed title, organized under the aegis of the Glamanand Group, led by visionary founder Mr. Nikhil Anand, positions Shivangi to represent India on the global stage at Miss Charm 2024, to be held in Vietnam this December. 
• Her triumph not only brings immense pride to her parents but also shines as a beacon of inspiration for her hometown of Pune and beyond. 
• Shivangi's journey into the pageant world began at the tender age of 16 when she claimed the May Queen title in 2018 at the RSI Army Institute in Pune. 

About Shivangi Desai

Shivangi Desai, a 22-year-old law student in her final year at the prestigious Indian Law School (ILS) Pune. She is proud daughter of an Indian Naval Officer and a doctor. Shivangi embodies a harmonious blend of beauty, intellect, and determination. Her triumph not only brings immense pride to her parents but also shines as a beacon of inspiration for her hometown of Pune and beyond.

World Fisheries Day is celebrated across the world on 21 November annually. The day aims to raise awareness about critical issues like overfishing, habitat destruction, and illegal fishing while emphasizing the need to empower small-scale fishers, who often belong to marginalized communities worldwide.

The theme for this year’s celebration, “India’s Blue Transformation: Strengthening Small-Scale and Sustainable Fisheries,” highlights India’s dedication to promoting inclusive growth and sustainable practices within the fisheries sector. 

Key Higlights

•  ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources celebrated World Fisheries Day along with World AMR Awareness Week on 21 November 2024. 
• Dr A. K. Singh, Former Director, ICAR-DCFR, Bhimtal, graced the event as the Chief Guest.
• This year the theme for the celebration is ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures’.
• On this occasion, the Germplasm Resource Centre for Small Indigenous Fish was inaugurated, and the fish seeds of important species such as Labeo bata, Labeo gonius, Ompok bimaculatus, and Mystus tengra were released.
• The programme was attended by about 50 fish farmers from different districts in UP. The fish seeds of SIF were distributed to the farmers.

The 9th edition of the Amur Falcon Festival under the theme ‘Rhythm of Migration’ kicked off in Tamenglong, Manipur, celebrating the annual migration of this small raptor bird on November 21, 2024.

• The festival hosted at Mini Stadium, Apollo Ground, aimed to raise awareness about the protection and conservation of this remarkable species while highlighting the crucial role of the Amur falcon in the local community’s ecosystem.
• The Amur falcon (Falco amurensis) migrates annually from Siberia to Southern Africa, passing through Northeast India, including Tamenglong.
• Large flocks of these birds roost during their migration during the months of October and November.
• The region has become a key stopover for these birds, emphasising the need for effective conservation strategies to prevent threats like illegal hunting and trapping.
• This year’s festival was organised by the Tamenglong Forest Division, in collaboration with the District Administration, the Tamenglong Rainforest Club, and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), with support from Fondation Segre.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin appointed a new five-member Election Commission led by retired secretary AMM Nasir Uddin .

• The new commission will take on the responsibility of overseeing the next national parliamentary election.
• The other news members of the election regulatory body are Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, a retired additional secretary, Abdur Rahmanel Masud, a district and sessions judge, Tahmida Ahmad, a retired joint secretary, and retired Brig Gen Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah.
• The president selected the names of the new chief election commissioner and the four election commissioners from a list proposed by a search committee.

Bihar will host the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 in April next year.  Recently, the state successfully conducted the women’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament at Rajgir.

• There will also be a gap of 10-15 days between these two games.
• This has been announced by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
• KIYG year 2024 was organized in Tamil Nadu in January this year.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the Australian Space Agency (ASA) signed an Implementing Arrangement relating to cooperation on crew and crew module recovery for India’s Gaganyaan Human Space Flight missions.

• The IA enables cooperation between both space agencies on crew and crew module recovery for Gaganyaan missions, the country's first crewed spaceflight program, it said.
• The IA was signed by D K Singh, Director, Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) on ISRO's side at Bengaluru and Jarrod Powell, General Manager, Space Capability Branch, on ASA's side at Canberra on November 20, the space agency said in a statement.
• ISRO has embarked on the Human Spaceflight ("Gaganyaan") programme with an objective of demonstrating capability to carryout Low Earth Orbit in an Indian Crew Module with up to three crew members onboard, for up to three days and to safely recover the module.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay is scheduled to undertake a three-day( November 24-26) visit to India starting Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs has said.

• Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay had visited India in March, his first foreign trip after assuming the charge of the top office in January.
• According to the advisory issued by the MEA, the “visit of H.E. Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan to India” will be from November 24-26. 
• Tobgay is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Sunday.
• On Monday, he will take part in a programme in Delhi and depart on Tuesday afternoon. 

Uttarakhand was awarded the best state in the category of Himalayan and North-Eastern States by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) on World Fisheries Day, Thursday( 22 November), in New Delhi.

• The award was given in recognition of its achievements and innovative initiatives in fisheries development.
• Uttarakhand produced around 70,000 metric tonnes of fish last year across 2,600 hectares, according to department data.
• Secretary of animal husbandry and fisheries,
• Uttarakhand, Dr B.V.R.C. Purushottam, received the award from Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union minister of state for fisheries, animal husbandry, and dairy.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting the use of local currencies for bilateral transactions.

• The agreement, signed in Mumbai by RBI governor Shaktikanta Das and MMA governor Ahmed Munawar, establishes a framework to facilitate cross-border transactions using the Indian rupee (INR) and the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR).
• The MoU seeks to enable the use of INR and MVR for current account transactions, permissible capital account transactions, and other agreed-upon economic and financial exchanges.
• This initiative will allow exporters and importers to invoice and settle transactions in their domestic currencies.
• The move is expected to reduce costs and settlement times for cross-border trade, Puneet Pancholy, chief general manager of RBI, said in a press release.
• This collaboration marks a significant step in enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries.