Notes:
Cook Strait separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast.
Recently, Freedman, who founded the company ElectricAir, crossed the strait for the first time in an electric plane. This 40-minute solo flight was held 101 years after the first person flew a conventional aircraft over the strait.

Notes:
Independent researchers from India have conceptualized and developed an online dashboard named “Climate Equity Monitor” on Global climate policy.
The Climate Equity Monitor dashboard provides an online dashboard for assessing equity in climate action, inequalities in emissions, energy consumption across the world, and climate policies of several countries. It aims to monitor the performance of Annex-I Parties under the UNFCCC (developed countries).

Notes:
Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) is a World Bank funded project approved in 2016 for a total cost of Rs. 2200 crore.
The project aims to create awareness through industry clusters to address issues pertaining to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The STRIVE program was launched in Manguluru, through Kanara Industries Association-Industrial Cluster. The participants will get National Apprenticeship Certificate from the Directorate General of Training on clearing the assessment and examination.

Notes:
Punjab is set to commence the census of the Indus river dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor). It is a freshwater dolphin that is found in river Beas.
The Indus river dolphin is classified as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In 2007, the dolphins were discovered in Punjab’s Harike wildlife sanctuary. The Indus river dolphin was declared the State aquatic animal of Punjab in 2019.

Notes:
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) has delivered First Ship of Project 15B Class Destroyer-Yard 12704 (Visakhapatnam) to the Indian Navy.
The ship is constructed using Indigenous Steel DMR 249A and is amongst the largest Destroyers constructed in India. It has an overall length of 164 meters and a displacement of over 7500 tons. It is armed with supersonic Surface-to-Surface ‘Brahmos’ missiles and ‘Barak-8’ Long Range Surface to Air Missiles.