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Antonio Vitorino, a lawyer and politician from Portugal, has been elected Director General of International Organization for Migration (IOM). He will succeed William Lacy Swing on 1st October 2018. IOM is the UN Migration Agency and is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration with over 10,000 staff serving in over 400 offices across more than 150 countries. It provides services and advice to Governments and migrants, such as humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.

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India has pledged $5 million in assistance to the UN agency working for the welfare of Palestinian refugees to help bolster its “severe funding crisis” following US’ cut in its annual aid to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). A total of 20 countries, including India, announced contributions to the 2018 budget of the UNRWA for Palestine Refugees in the Near East during a meeting. While India pledged $5 million, Sweden will contribute $250 million over four years, the UK $51 million and the UAE $50 million among other donors. UNRWA has been providing health, education, relief and social services, as well as emergency humanitarian assistance, to some 5.3 million Palestinian refugees across its five fields of operation — Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip — for 65 years.

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In a remarkable achievement, the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai has been declared as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on 30th June 2018. The decision was taken at the 42nd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee at Manama in Bahrain. This makes Mumbai city the second city in India after Ahmedabad to be included on the World Heritage List. Now, India has overall 37 World Heritage Inscriptions with 29 Cultural, 07 Natural and 01 Mixed sites. While India stands second largest in number after China in terms of number of World Heritage properties in ASPAC (Asia and Pacific) region, it is overall sixth in the world.

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On June 29, the Odisha government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for enhancing early warning system for effective management of all kinds of disaster in the state, including flood, drought, heat wave, lightning, and road accidents. The MoU will help state government to integrate new generation digital algorithm-based technologies and best practices from 48 RIMES member countries with the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). The RIMES is a UN Registered international and inter- governmental institution, owned and managed by its 48 Members and Collaborating States for building capacities in the generation and application of user-relevant early warning information.

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The International Day of Tropics is observed every year on June 29 to raise awareness to the specific challenges faced by tropical areas, the far-reaching implications of the issues affecting the world’s tropical zone and the need, at all levels, to raise awareness and to underline the important role that countries in the tropics will play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The day celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the tropics while highlighting unique challenges and opportunities nations of the Tropics face. It provides an opportunity to take stock of progress across the tropics, to share tropical stories and expertise and to acknowledge the diversity and potential of the region.

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S Ramesh, a 1981 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), has taken over charge as the new chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the apex policy-making body for indirect taxes. Prior to his elevation, he was Member (Administration) in the Board. He succeeded Vanaja N Sarna, who superannuates on June 30, 2018. The CBIC is the apex body for administering the levy and collection of indirect taxes of the Union of India viz. Central Excise duty, Customs duty and Service Tax, and for facilitating cross border movement of goods & services. It is a part of the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance. It deals with the tasks of formulation of policy concerning levy and collection of Customs & Central Excise duties and Service Tax, prevention of smuggling and administration of matters relating to Customs, Central Excise, Service Tax and Narcotics to the extent under CBEC’s purview.

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Indian Kabaddi team clinched the Kabaddi Masters Dubai 2018 title by defeating Iran 44-26 in the summit clash in Dubai on June 30. In a battle between the top two sides of the world, the three-time world champions did not give Iran any ground to recover with Captain Ajay Thakur and youngster Monu Goyat led the raid charts. India’s defence was also excellent with Surjeet Singh returning with seven tackle points. India inflicted two all-outs on Iran, en route the massive victory. The six-nation invitational tournament was organised by International Kabaddi Federation (IKF). The Indian team will now focus on the Asian games. India is the reigning world champions and they now hold the title of the Kabaddi Masters too.

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The Union government has constituted a committee a 13-member committee to upgrade the norms for computation of economic data at states and districts level in the backdrop of plans to revise the base year for National Accounts or GDP calculation. The Committee for Sub-National Accounts will be headed by Ravindra H Dholakia, a retired professor of IIM Ahmedabad. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) will change the base year to 2017-18 for the calculation of GDP and IIP numbers from the existing 2011-12 with an aim to capture changes in the economy. The panel will review the concepts, definitions, classifications, data conventions, data sources and data requirements for preparation of State Domestic Product (SDP) and District Domestic Product (DDP) and to lay down revised guidelines. It will also suggest measures for improving SDP and DDP in the country taking into consideration availability of data and requirements of the Centre and states/union territories.

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The conference of Ministers for Power, New & Renewable Energy of States & Union Territories will be held on 3rd July at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. The purpose of the conference is to review the implementation of various ongoing Schemes/ Programmes & deliberate on a host of issues pertaining to Power and Renewable Energy sectors. The excerpts of the issues to be discussed on the conference are as follows: 100% Household Electrification (under Saubhagya) by December 2018, UDAY performance assessment, shifting to prepaid system in three years and 24X7 Power for All – From 1st April 2019. The delegates will also discuss the proposed draft amendments in the provision of Captive Generating Plant in Electricity Rules, 2005 and flexibility in utilization of Coal. The conference will be inaugurated by R K Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy.

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The novel “Eleventh Hour” is authored by Crime writer Hussain Zaidi to pay tribute to the men in uniform. The book is inspired by and derived from real-life events – a vast stash of RDX that has remained undiscovered since the Mumbai serial blasts of 1993 and the agencies totally clueless about it; the jailbreak in Bhopal of five men; the hijacking of an Indian ship and a commercial vessel by Somali pirates and Pakistan’s designs to spread terror in India. The novel is published by HarperCollins India. Zaidi, who has done investigative, crime and terror reporting in various newspapers, is the author of several books including “Black Friday”, “Dongri to Dubai”, “Mafia Queens of Mumbai” and “Byculla to Bangkok”. Several of his books have been adapted into movies including the eponymous “Black Friday”, directed by Anurag Kashyap; “Shootout at Wadala”, based on “Dongri to Dubai”, directed by Sanjay Gupta; and “Phantom”, based on “Mumbai Avengers”, directed by Kabir Khan.