In a significant development for Indian chess, former All India Chess Federation (AICF) President Sanjay Kapoor has been unanimously elected as FIDE India Zone President (3.7) at the annual meeting of the AICF.

The announcement was made during the annual general meeting (AGM) of AICF in Ahmedabad. Dr. Sanjay Kapoor has been elected as the Zone President for 4 years. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich congratulated Dr. Sanjay Kapoor for new role as the FIDE India zone president.

Dr Sanjay Kapoor’s new role marks a pivotal moment for chess governance in India, entrusting him with the responsibility of overseeing the game’s growth and development across the globe.

Curator and author Rahaab Allana was conferred with the insignia of Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres at the Embassy of France here on Tuesday.

The French government distinction is given to "persons who have distinguished themselves by their creativity in the field of art, culture and literature or for their contribution to the influence of arts in France and throughout the world."

Allana, curator and publisher, Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, received the honour for his career as curator of contemporary South Asian photography as well as his contributions to Indo-French artistic cooperation over the years.

India finished sixth and seventh in the men’s and women’s sections respectively in the World Junior Squash Championships held in Houston, USA.

The Indian men lost to England 1-2 in the match for fifth position while their women counterparts beat New Zealand 2-1 in the clash for the seventh on Tuesday.

Both the matches went into deciders.

As the world shifts towards green energy and sustainable economies, Taiwan has built a strong portfolio of green products and technologies. The 2024 "Go Green with Taiwan" global call for proposal event invites proposers worldwide to showcase their creativity using Taiwan's sustainable green products and solutions. This initiative aims to foster international collaboration for global sustainable development and protect a green planet for future generations. The top three proposals will each receive a US $20,000 cash prize!

Taiwan's green industry is growing rapidly, and Taiwanese companies are becoming ideal partners for international cooperation in sectors like energy and energy storage, energy efficiency, low-carbon transportation, green environmental materials, environmental equipment, and circular economy initiatives. For example, Delta Electronics, Inc., a global leader in energy management systems, has implemented electric vehicle-friendly infrastructure at its global offices. Using the DeltaGrid® EVM as a core charging management system, Delta optimizes energy distribution through AI analysis of daily usage data, managing EV charging, solar power generation, and energy storage. This approach has delivered significant energy cost savings of 15.64% at Delta's European headquarters and can be scaled to shopping center parking lots, residential areas, and office buildings.

In the United States, Ronald L. Rowe Junior, has been appointed as the acting chief of US Secret Service following the resignation of Director Kimberly Cheatle. Rowe was serving as Deputy Director of the Secret Service. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed the appointment yesterday.

Mr Rowe’s appointment came just a few hours after Ms. Cheatle’s resignation, which followed a Congressional hearing on Monday when Cheatle acknowledged that it was “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades” that led to the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month.

The US Secret Service has been facing scrutiny after a 20-year-old man, identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as Thomas Matthew Crooks, armed with an AR-style rifle was able to get close enough to shoot and injure the former President Donald Trump.

In a significant stride towards fostering indigenous technology development, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), a leading Telecom R&D institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) and Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi). This collaboration aims to develop 'Cell-Free' 6G Access Points, a cutting-edge technology set to revolutionise the telecom industry.

The partnership falls under the ambit of the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme, which is an initiative by the DoT designed to support domestic companies, Indian startups, academic institutions, and R&D centers involved in the innovation and commercialization of telecommunication technologies. The TTDF scheme is pivotal in making broadband and mobile services more affordable, thereby contributing to bridging the digital divide across India.

The first of two advanced frigates, which is under-construction by the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with technology transfer from Russia for the Indian Navy, was launched into water on Wednesday. India had contracted four frigates from Russia in October 2016, two of them to be built in Russia and two at the GSL.

“In keeping with maritime tradition, the ship was launched by Rita Sreedharan, to the invocation from Atharva Veda, in the presence of P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, Governor of Goa. The ship has been named Triput, after the mighty arrow, representing the indomitable spirit of Indian Navy and its ability to strike far and deep,” the Navy said in a statement on the launch.

As reported by The Hindu earlier, the first ship, Tushil, from Russia is ready and is expected to be scheduled to the Indian Navy in September this year and the second ship Tamal by February 2025.

India gained 2,66,000 hectares of forest area annually from 2010 to 2020, securing the third spot among the top 10 countries with the most significant forest area gains during this period, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

The report, released on July 22, said China led the world with the maximum forest area gain of 19,37,000 hectares, followed by Australia with 4,46,000 hectares, and India. Other countries in the top 10 include Chile, Vietnam, Turkey, the United States, France, Italy and Romania.

The UN agency praised India for its efforts in restoring degraded lands and expanding agroforestry through innovative approaches. This includes the development of a new national policy aimed at better-supporting agroforestry in the country.

The Israeli parliament gave preliminary approval on Monday to a bill that declares the main United Nations relief organisation for Palestinians a terrorist organisation and proposes to sever relations with the body.

The vote against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) is the latest step in a Israeli push against the agency, which Israeli leaders have accused of collaborating with the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.

The bill was approved in a first reading and will be returned to the foreign affairs and defence committee for further deliberation, the Knesset information service said.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) had issued a call for articles and success stories for its upcoming issue of “Gramoday Sankalp” magazine, focusing on the theme “Viksit Bharat and Role of Panchayats.”

In a letter dated June 26, 2024, the Economic Adviser of MoPR emphasized the magazine’s role in disseminating information about various government schemes. The ministry was reaching out to different departments and organizations for contributions that highlighted the impact of Panchayats in India’s development journey.

The MoPR had requested that articles, success stories, and inspirational narratives be submitted by July 15, 2024. Contributors were asked to include at least five high-definition color photographs with their submissions. The ministry had provided specific email addresses for submission, ensuring a streamlined process for content collection.

This initiative came as part of the government’s broader efforts to showcase the pivotal role of Panchayats in achieving the vision of a developed India. The magazine served as a platform to share best practices and innovative approaches implemented at the grassroots level.