Vaughan Gething was elected first minister of Wales on Wednesday, becoming the first Black leader of a government in the UK. Gething was elected government leader by members of the Welsh parliament in Cardiff, four days after winning the contest to be leader of Wales’ governing Labour Party. He secured 27 of 51 votes in the legislature, the Senedd, where Labour is the biggest party.

Gething, the son of a Welsh father and a Zambian mother, said Wales is now “the first nation anywhere in Europe to be led by a Black person.” “It is a matter of pride for a modern Wales but also a daunting responsibility for me — and one that I do not take lightly,” he told lawmakers.

He said he wanted to lead a country that “can celebrate our differences and take pride in all of those things that draw us together.” Gething will be sworn in once his appointment is approved by King Charles III — a formality.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Ministry of Defence has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) for health services to ex-servicemen in AIIMS.

The agreement will ensure free-of-cost health services, including emergency care, for ex-servicemen and their family members.

It will be beneficial to more than 30,000 ex-servicemen and their family members.

Lt Gen. Padam Singh Shekhawat, General Officer Commanding, Madhya Bharat Area, expressed his happiness at empathising with AIIMS-R for ECHS.

The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is set to unveil the BhashaNet portal at the upcoming Universal Acceptance (UA) Day, in a move towards advancing digital inclusion and promoting linguistic diversity in India.

Scheduled for March 21, the event will take place at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi, marking the collaborative efforts of NIXI and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in championing the cause of Universal Acceptance.

According to a press release, this announcement follows the successful partnership between NIXI and MeitY, highlighting their joint commitment to fostering a digitally inclusive environment across the nation.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government to appoint Bhushan Gagrani, currently serving as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, as the new Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). On Wednesday evening, the veteran IAS officer, Bhushan Gagrani was appointed as the new Commissioner of BMC. Mr. Gagrani took over from Iqbal Singh Chahal.

Mr. Gagrani is a 1990 batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service and also the first Chartered Officer (IAS) in the country to secure an All India third rank with Marathi language. He holds Master of Commerce and Master of Arts in History from Shivaji University, Kolhapur; Bachelor of Laws degree from Nagpur University, Master’s Degree in Management from the University of Birmingham in London and a Vidyavachaspati (Ph.D) degree in Management from Mumbai University.

World Forestry Day 2024: Forests are very significant for our daily lives. From the book we read to the air we breathe to the house we build; forests play an irreplaceable role in each of our lives. They bind the soil, they help in water retention, they contribute to the overall ecosystem of the world, and most importantly, they give us the oxygen that we need for survival. Forests are also the greatest source of medicinal plants which can cure a lot of diseases. In short, we cannot live without trees and forests in the world.

However, with time, industrialisation and overpopulation, we have mindlessly cut down trees and done deforestation for our own benefits. This has contributed to global warming and the depleting of resources. It is time to understand that we do not have another planet to go to, and we should take care of the planet we call home.

IPS officer Sanjay Mukherjee has been appointed the new West Bengal Director-General of Police (DGP) by the Election Commission of India (ECI), a day after the election body transferred the State’s current DGP Rajeev Kumar.

Mr. Mukherjee‘s appointment by the ECI also comes after the West Bengal government appointed Vivek Sahay as the new DGP hours after Mr. Kumar was transferred.

In a memo to the State Chief Secretary, ECI secretary Rakesh Kumar said that the Commission approved Mr. Mukherjee’s name for the post of DGP and directed the Chief Secretary to ensure immediate compliance and confirm the same by 5 p.m.

Senior IAS officer Deepak Kumar was on Tuesday named the new additional chief secretary of the home department of Uttar Pradesh.

The Election Commission has approved Kumar’s name as the new ACS, Home.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa confirmed to PTI the appointment of Kumar in the home department.

Kumar, a 1990 batch IAS officer, is presently additional chief secretary of finance and basic education.

Senior IAS officer Sanjay Prasad, who is associated with the chief minister’s office (CMO) and is also holding the charge of the information department, was also looking after the home department.

New Delhi Noted poet and litterateur Prabha Varma will be awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2023 for his verse novel Roudra Sathwikam, the KK Birla Foundation said in a statement on Monday.

Instituted in 1991, Saraswati Samman is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the country. It is given every year to an outstanding literary work written in any Indian language by an Indian citizen and published within the last 10 years. It carries a citation, a plaque, and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh. The recipient is chosen by a selection committee, whose current head is former Supreme Court judge, Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday called fake news and disinformation based on AI and digital technology threats to democracy, as some officials attending a global summit accused Russia and China of conducting malicious propaganda campaigns.

Speaking at the opening of the Summit for Democracy in Seoul, Yoon said countries had a duty to share experiences and wisdom so that artificial intelligence and technology could be employed to promote democracy.

“Fake news and disinformation based on artificial intelligence and digital technology not only violates individual freedom and human rights but also threatens democratic systems,” Yoon said.

South Korea is hosting the third Summit for Democracy conference, an initiative of U.S. President Joe Biden aimed at discussing ways to stop democratic backsliding and erosion of rights and freedoms.

UNION MINISTER for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said Tuesday that India is powering its way to become the third largest economy, but economic progress apart, convictions and principles are equally important to live by in a democracy.

Presenting the 17th Ramnath Goenka Awards for Excellence in Journalism for the years 2021 and 2022 at a well-attended ceremony in New Delhi, Gadkari said, “We are the fastest growing economy in the world and working towards becoming the third largest economy in the world. Economic progress is important but it cannot be the ultimate end of life. Those who have stayed with their conviction and ideals and worked for democracy since 1947, we will remember them when we complete 100 years of Independent India.”