COP (Conference of the Parties) 23 at Bonn in Germany

The climate negotiations started in Bonn to prepare the rules for implementing the provisions of the Paris Agreement.It is the first UN climate conference after the US—the world’s largest emitter in history-announced withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on June 1, 2017.

UNFCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international environmental treaty adopted on May 9, 1992 and opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992.The UNFCCC objective is to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system".The parties to the convention have met annually from 1995 inConferences of the Parties (COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change.Example- COP 23- 23^rd session of conference of Parties (COP)

United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP 21)

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21 or CMP 11 was held in Paris, France, from 30 November to 12 December 2015.Paris climate treaty was signed in this conference

Paris Climate Accord-

The Paris climate accord or Paris climate agreement, is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020.The agreement was adopted by consensus on 12 December 2015.The contributions that each individual country should make in order to achieve the worldwide goal are determined by all countries individually and called "nationally determined contributions" (NDCs).

Aims of Paris Climate Accord

Global temperature rises this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level.Pursue efforts to limit the temperature upsurge even further to 5 degrees Celsius.Strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.

United Nations Climate Change Conference 2016 (COP 22)

It was held in Marrakech, Morocco.The conference incorporated the twenty-second Conference of the Parties (COP22), thetwelfth meeting of the parties for the Kyoto Protocol (CMP12), and the first meeting of the parties for the Paris Agreement (CMA1).

Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997 and entered into force in February 2005.It was signed in COP 3 meeting.The first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol was from 2008-2012.Second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol is from January 2013 to December 2020.

Topic- GS-3- Environment

Source- downtoearth + Wiki

Most ancient spiral galaxy discovered

Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe that existed 11 billion years ago and could provide insights into the early cosmos.The galaxy, known as A1689B11, existed just 2.6 billion years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only one fifth of its present age.Researchers used a powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) to verify the vintage and spiral nature of the galaxy.Gravitational lenses are nature's largest telescopes, created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter.The cluster bends and magnifies the light of galaxies behind it in a manner similar to an ordinary lens, but on a much larger scale.

Topic- GS-3- Awareness in the fields Space

Source- Business Standards

Srirangam temple wins UNESCO award

Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu has won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award of Merit 2017 for cultural heritage conservation.The international body praised the temple for undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage.

Sri Ranganathaswamy temple

The temple, considered the foremost of the 108 divyadesams, is situated on an islet between the Cauvery and the Coleroon riversIt has seven prakaras and 21 towers, including the majestic 236-feet-high rajagopuram

UNESCO awards

The awards are classified under four categories namely
(1) Award of Excellence
(2) Awards of Distinction
(3) Awards of Merit
(3) Award for New Design in Heritage Context

Topic- GS-1- Indian Culture

Source- India Today

India-Bangladesh joint exercise SAMPRITI 2017

Army personnel of India and Bangladesh will take part in a joint training exercise 'Sampriti-7' in Meghalaya and Mizorum.This is the 7th edition of the joint training exercise will be conducted at India's Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram and at the Joint Training Node at Umroi in Meghalaya.The main objective of the exercise is to conduct counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in peace-keeping activities in the United Nations (UN).The joint exercise was first held in Assam in 2011 and since then both the countries have been hosting the exercise alternatively.

Topic- GS-3- Defence

Source- India Today

Banaganapalle mangoes get GI tag

The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradeshand Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office.The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include 
(1) Pochampally Ikat of Telangana
(2) Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal
(3) Durgi stone carvings of Andhra Pradesh
(4) Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh
(5) Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland

GI Tag-

A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g. a town, region, or country).India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003.This Act is administered by Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who is also Registrar of Geographical Indications.GIs have been defined under Article 22(1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights(TRIPS) Agreement.Darjeeling tea became the first GI tagged product in India.

Topic- GS-1- Indian Culture

Source- The Hindu

Navy to use U.S. aircraft launch system in ship

The Navy is likely to go with an advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR)from the U.S. for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II).The two countries had set up a joint working group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative.

Topic- GS-3- Defence

Source- The Hindu

Global Nutrition Report 2017

India is facing a serious burden of undernutrition, according to a global report released which shows that more than half the women of reproductive age in the country suffer from anaemia.The Global Nutrition Report 2017, which looked at 140 countries including India, found ‘significant burdens’ of three important forms of malnutrition used as an indicator of broader trends.These include childhood stunting, anaemia in women of reproductive age, and overweight adult women.Latest figures show that 38 per cent of children under five are affected by stunting – children too short for their age due to lack of nutrients, suffering irreversible damage to brain capacity.About 21 per cent of children under 5 are defined as ‘wasted’ or ‘severely wasted’ – meaning they do not weigh enough for their height.Over half of women of reproductive age – 51 per cent -suffer from anaemia – a serious condition that can have long term health impacts for mother and child.

Topic- GS-2- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Source- Indian Express