- INDIA WELCOMES EGYPT, IRAN, UAE, SAUDI ARABIA AND ETHIOPIA JOINING BRICS
- India on Monday welcomed Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia joining the BRICS as their representatives attended for the first time a key meeting of the grouping hosted by Russia
- The meeting on Monday was the first ministerial meeting following BRICS expansion in 2023 when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE joined Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa as full-fledged BRICS members
- The ministers reiterated their commitment to multilateralism and upholding the international law
- They voiced their support for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more democratic, representative, effective and efficient
2. ISRO RELEASE IMAGES OF SUN CAPTURED BY ADITYA L1 DURING MAY
- Two of the remote sensing payloads aboard India’s maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1, have captured images of the sun and its dynamic activities during the solar storm, which occurred in May
- Solar Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC Between May 8 and 15, several X class and M class flares erupted in the active region AR13664 on the sun
- This was associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) during May 8 and 9
- According to the ISRO, these images will help in studying solar flares, energy distribution and sun spots, understanding and predicting space weather, and monitoring solar activity and UV radiation over a wide wavelength range, and also aid in the study of long term solar variations
- In addition, the VELC payload also carried out observations in one of the spectroscopic channels for the emission line 5303 Angstrom
- Raster scans of the solar corona were carried out on May 14 to capture the coronal activities in this particular spectral line
- Two other remote sensing payloads, events between May 8 and 9
- The two in-situ payloads, SoLEXS and HEL1OS, captured these ASPEX and MAG, captured this event on May 10 and 11 during its passage through the sun-earth L1 point (L1)
3. PM KISAN NIDHI INSTALMENT RELEASED TO 9.3CR FARMERS
- PM Kisan Nidhi Scheme Overview: Scheme Name: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan).
- Objective : Provide financial support to small and marginal farmers across India. Beneficiaries : Farmers who own up to 2 hectares of cultivable land.
- Key Features:
- Financial Assistance: Eligible farmers receive a total of ₹6,000 p er year.
- The amount is disbursed in three equal installments of ₹2,000 each.
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): The money is directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries to ensure transparency and avoid leakages.
- Eligibility Criteria: Small and marginal farmers with up to 2 hectares of land.
- Farmers need to provide certain documents like land ownership records and bank account details to qualify.
- Recent Developments:
- 17th Installment Released: The Union government released the 17th installment of the PM Kisan Nidhi scheme, benefiting 9.3 crore farmers.
- Each farmer received around ₹2,000 as part of this installment.
- Commitment to Farmers: This was the first decision taken by the newly sworn-in Narendra Modi government, highlighting their commitment to farmers’ welfare.
- Political Reactions:
- The government presented the release as a significant step towards supporting farmers.
- The opposition acknowledged that these are legitimate entitlements and not a special favor.
4. CENTRISTS HUMBLED FAR RIGHTS SURGES AS 4 DAY EUROPEAN UNION POLLS END
- Key Developments:
- Far Right Gains: Far-right parties have made significant gains in France and Germany.
- Marine Le Pen’s National Rally outperformed French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party.
- Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) saw substantial support despite previous scandals. Italy’s Political Shift:
- Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, with neo-fascist roots, secured a significant portion of the vote, enhancing its influence in the EU Assembly.
- Mainstream Parties: Centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) remained the largest bloc in the EU Assembly.
- Green and pro business liberal groups Impact on the European Union: experienced heavy defeats.
- The rise of far-right parties in key EU member states like France and Germany could influence EU policies
- Particularly on issues like immigration and national sovereignty.
- The gains by far-right parties could lead to more polarized and contentious debates within the EU.
5. MUMBAI HIGH FIELD
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is seeking foreign partners for its flagship Mumbai High oil-field due to declining outputs.
- The Mumbai High Field, formerly called the Bombay High Field, is an offshore oilfield 176 km (109 mi) off the west coast of Mumbai, in Gulf of Cambay region of India, in about 75 m (246 ft) of water.
- The oil operations are run by India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
- It was discovered in 1974 and commenced production in 1976.
- It is the largest oil field in India and has an estimated initial-oilin-place of 1,696 million metric tonnes.
ONE LINER
- Israel has recently been added by the UN to the global list of criminals committing crimes against children.
- 6 former chief ministers are included in Modi cabinet this time.
