The Daily Brief – 23rd November 2018

Tanzanian Joyce Msuya was appointed as acting Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) following resignation of the executive director Erik Solheim. Solheim had quit in wake of internal audit report that accused him of gobbling up to $500,000 in unnecessary and budgeted travel expenses in just 22 months. Founded in June 1972, UNEP is voice for environment within the United Nations system.

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park and Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for energising start-up ecosystem in East and Northeast India. The MoU will bring incubator and industry together in more formal way. IIM Innovation Park is currently incubating 40 start-ups with almost half from West Bengal. Established in 1925 by group of pioneering industrialists led by Mr G D Birla, Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is premier body of business and industry in Eastern and North-Eastern India.

Morocco successfully launched its second earth observation satellite named Mohammed VI-B on board of Arianespace Vega rocket from launch pad at Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana in South America. It will be placed at same orbit as its twin satellite Mohammed 6-A, the first Moroccan satellite launched in November 2017 also on Vega rocket. The launch completes Morocco’s two-satellite constellation for Earth observation. Arianespace is multinational company founded in 1980. It is world’s first commercial launch service provider.

Kim Jong Yang of South Korea was elected Interpol President for two-year term by member countries at 87th General Assembly of Interpol, held for first time in Dubai. He will serve until 2020, completing the four-year mandate of his predecessor, Meng Hongwei, who was detained in China over corruption charges. Interpol is global police co-operation agency and a non-governmental organization (NGO) with 194 member countries. It was established as the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC) in 1923 with headquarters at Lyon, France.

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launched Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) Program in New Delhi. HRD Ministry has established Innovation cell at AICTE with purpose to systematically foster culture of Innovation in all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country. Innovation Cell has undertaken many initiatives for educational advancement in higher education for encouraging best practices in innovation and advance research.

United Nations Environment Program has selected Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and its enforcement officer RS Sharath for 2018 Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards. These awards publicly recognize and celebrate excellence in enforcement by government officials and institutions combating trans-boundary environmental crime in Asia. Established in June 2007, WCCB is statutory multi-disciplinary body under Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to combat organized wildlife crime in the country.

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the annual Sangai Festival, celebrated in northeastern state of Manipur. It is grandest festival of state named after state animal, Sangai, the critically endangered brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur. The festival aims to promote Manipur as world class tourism destination. Started in 2010, the focus areas of festival reflect Manipur’s rich cultural heritage and love for art of various tribes inhabiting state.

National Academy of Sciences India (NASI) SCOPUS Young Scientist Awards 2018 were presented to winners in New Delhi. This year five multi-disciplinary categories in awards were introduced. The prize includes citation, trophy and Rs. 75,000. Scopus Young Scientist Awards was first launched by Amsterdam-based global publisher Elsevier in 2006. In 2009, India officially adopted program within its scientific community through Elsevier’s collaboration with National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI).