APPOINTMENTS

Ajinkya Naik became the youngest president of Mumbai Cricket Association

• Ajinkya Naik became the youngest president of the Mumbai Cricket Association at age 37.

• He defeated Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar's candidate Sanjay Naik by 107 votes in a one-sided election.

• Ajinkya Naik secured 221 votes, while Sanjay Naik received 114 votes.

• Previously, Ajinkya served as the secretary of the association under Amol Kale.

• Following Amol Kale's death last month, MCA conducted elections for the president's post.

• Ajinkya, a former school and club cricketer, was a member of the MCA Apex Council in 2019.

• He was later elected as the Secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association in 2022.

RANKING AND INDEX

Henley Passport Index's 2024

• India has dropped to 82nd place in the Henley Passport Index's 2024 ranking of the world's most powerful passports, allowing visa-free travel to 58 countries.

• This marks a decline from the previous year, when India was ranked 80th.

• The 2024 Index sees Singapore reclaiming the top spot, with its passport providing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 195 countries.

• Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list, with its passport holders able to enter only 26 destinations without a visa.

• The Henley Passport Index, established in 2006, evaluates 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.

• The rankings are based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

• The Index scores passports based on the total number of destinations that can be accessed visa-free, offering a detailed and practical measure of passport strength.

✓ 1st Place: Singapore – 195 destinations.

✓ 2nd Place (tied): France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain – 192 destinations.

✓ 3rd Place (tied): Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden – 191 destinations.

✓ 4th Place: UK, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland – 190 destinations.

✓ 8th Place: USA – 186 destinations.

✓ 82nd Place (tied): India, Senegal, Tajikistan – 58 destinations.

✓ In 2014, the UK and USA held the top spot but have since fallen in rankings.

✓ Afghanistan has the weakest passport, with access to only 26 countries.

According to the FAO report, China, Australia and India registered most increased forest areas.

• The FAO's report "The State of the World’s Forests" highlights the countries with the most significant forest area gains.

• As of 2020, global forests covered approximately 4.1 billion hectares, constituting 31% of the land area.

• India ranked third among the top 10 countries for forest area gains, increasing by 266,000 hectares annually from 2010 to 2020.

• China topped the list with the highest forest area gain of 1,937,000 hectares, followed by Australia with 446,000 hectares.

• Other countries in the top 10 for forest area gains include Chile, Vietnam, Turkey, the United States, France, Italy, and Romania.

• Indonesia experienced an 8.4% decline in deforestation from 2021 to 2022, while Brazil's Amazon saw a 50% reduction in deforestation in 2023.

• The report notes that climate change has increased forest vulnerability to wildfires, pests, and other stressors, and it mentions a 23% decrease in the rate of gross global mangrove loss over the last two decades.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCES

2024 World Leaders Summit

• The 2024 World Leaders Summit was held at the UK Parliament's House of Lords.

• This summit marks a critical moment for global diplomacy, providing a venue for influential policy discussions.

• It underscores a commitment to international cooperation among global leaders.

• Key topics included sustainable development, AI's societal impact, health care access, and technology's role in policy-making.

• The digital revolution's effect on public participation and governance was a significant theme.

• Notable attendees included Dr. Vivek Lall, Osama Ben Saleh Bukhari, and others, with Baroness Sandy Verma as the Guest of Honour.

• Vikash Sorout, founder of VS International Limited, played a key role in organizing the summit.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Jamsetji Tata: Powerful Learnings for Corporate Success

• "Powerful Learnings for Corporate Success," by R. Gopalakrishnan and Harish Bhat, explores the entrepreneurial principles of Jamsetji Tata.

• The book highlights Jamsetji Tata's transformative impact on India's industrial landscape.

• It details how his vision led to the creation of iconic Indian brands like Tata Tea, Tata Motors, Titan, and Tanishq.

• The authors showcase Tata's pioneering spirit and remarkable business acumen.

• The book emphasizes Jamsetji Tata's humaneness and the enduring values he instilled in the Tata organization.

• These values have significantly contributed to the company's ongoing success and impact on India's industrial development.

• The work illustrates the lasting influence of Tata's principles on corporate success and national growth.

AWARDS

10th National Community Radio Awards

• On July 25, 2024, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced the winners of the 10th National Community Radio Award.

• The minister also inaugurated India's 500th Community Radio Station.

• The 500th Community Radio Station, named Apna Radio 90.0 FM, is located at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in Aizawl, Mizoram.

• Apna Radio 90.0 FM will provide daily weather updates, government scheme information, and agriculture-related news.

• The National Community Radio Award was established by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 2011-12.

• The awards recognize excellence in community radio, fostering better communication and information dissemination at the grassroots level.

MISCELLANEOUS

Ivory Coast Becomes 10th African Country to Join UN Water Convention

• Ivory Coast has become the 53rd Party to the 1992 United Nations Water Convention, also known as the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

• It is now the 10th African nation to join the Water Convention.

• This milestone precedes the 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention, set for October 23-25, 2024, in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

• Ivory Coast joins Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal as one of the four largest West African economies in the Water Convention.

• The country shares eight trans boundary river basins with its neighboring countries.

• Joining the Water Convention underscores Ivory Coast's commitment to international water cooperation and management.

• The participation of major West African economies strengthens regional collaboration on trans boundary water issues.